


One Haunted Hero at a time

by lantia4ever



Series: Operation HTWYH [3]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Avengers, Captain Hydra, Crossbones/Madame Hydra, Evil Steve Rogers, Extended Marvel Universe, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra Steve Rogers, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Not Steve Friendly, Protective Avengers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Swearing, The Metal Gang, because reasons, hints of Wanda/Vision, still kinda inspired by Tsubasa Chronicles, unlikely allies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2018-08-29 11:04:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 51,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8486893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lantia4ever/pseuds/lantia4ever
Summary: HYDRA is united under the man they have all once called a friend and this man has, and has always had just one vision - a world at peace, with HYDRA as its shepherd. Naturally, the Avengers now under Iron Man's and Captain Winter's command are just one big obstacle in this vision and as such must be dealt with. And so, Captain Hydra searches for help wherever he can get it, recruiting subjects that are bound to be a nightmare for anyone daring to oppose him.Unknowingly, the Avengers are about to face their worst ever adversaries and for Tony and Bucky, everything they have worked towards the past year is on the line, because they have already learnt that HYDRA won't simply let go of its toys once it gets a taste of the entertainment. And Captain Hydra isn't done with either of them....The final installment of Operation HTWYH. Updating every Sunday again ^^





	1. I won't be afraid

**Author's Note:**

> MWUAHAHAHAHAH ~ !
> 
> Ehrm..hi there ^^ It is Sunday...four months later :D And this appears to be the beginning of the end of the OHHAAT series, wooohooooot! So excited! It took a while to cook up so much evil packed into a single story (mwuheh :3) but here it comes.
> 
> Needless to say, reading One Hydra head at a time and One Hollow heartbeat at a time before this one is a must, otherwise this will make absolutely no sense to you ^^ 
> 
> Especially since we are starting right where we left off :3 Mmmhmmmm, remember? ;D
> 
> Enjoy the fluffy first chapter, everyone! ^^ ...cause you already know what it means :D

**[Chapter Soundtrack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoAp0hIEUkc&list=PLk09tmeXpLmDBpJSDGhr_Y-100393jF6k&index=1) **

 

**_Bucky's POV_ **

 

“Sorry,” Tony sighs as they enter the elevator. “I really thought a movie called Fantastic Four would be…well… _fantastic_ , you know?”

I chuckle and press the common floor button. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Ohhhh it was. If it makes me wanna watch the 2004 version – which I thought sucked major balls – it’s reeeeally bad. Hell, we should watch it. Maybe even the sequel. And I bet you all my money you’re gonna like them better.”

“All your money, huh?”

“That’s how confident I am,” he grins.

“You’re always confident.”

“Exactly! So confident that I’m gonna ask you out on another date and instead of waiting for an answer I’m just gonna expect a yes and save us the time,” he states and his grin turns mischievous.

“Is that so?” I beam at him and return the grin tenfold. “What are we gonna do with so much saved time?”

“ _The hell kinda foreplay is this? Just make-out and get a room already_!” the Soldier interrupts impatiently, making us laugh.

“ _I insist that you’ve forgotten to install his common sense protocols, boss_.”

“ _Making out and getting a room_ is _common sense, Sunday_ ,” he argues begrudgingly and Tony just laughs harder.

“Can’t argue with that,” I shrug and pull the still chuckling engineer in for a kiss, definitely dirtier than any one before that. Well…the one during dinner wasn’t exactly innocent. And the make-out session that accidentally happened after that movie hit the ultimate boredom peak would hardly fit into the PG-13 rating. So I’d be lying if I said my mind wasn’t going all kinds of wild.

Until the doors open and we find the majority of the Avengers are very much awake…and Clint drew the short straw by just walking around the elevator doors just then.

“Jesus! I didn’t need to see that. Holy shit, my eyes! Someone help!” Clint blabbers in an exaggerated manner, covering his eyes theatrically. Which is how he prolly misses Natasha moving in and grabbing his ear as if he was a naughty kid.

“Shut up, moron,” she reprimands him and starts dragging him away. “Continue,” she tells us, ignoring Clint’s wriggling.

“Why did we come to the common floor again?” Tony asks, eyes shimmering with amusement…and something else.

“No idea. Let’s get outta here.”

“Not so quickly, lovebirds,” Sam mandrops on us from the vent.

“Fuck! Have you been spending too much time with Clint?! I swear I’m gonna rig the vents again,” Tony curses but Sam looks quite unamused.

“Don’t bother. Your new evil overlord of an AI is ahead of ya. Speaking of which…what the actual fuck?”

“Yhhh, wht the fck?!” Clint echoes, muffled by Natasha’s elbow.

“Oh!” Tony exclaims happily and smirk. “Forgot to properly introduce our newest addition to the Tower’s defenses. Avengers? The Soldier. Soldier? Well…you already know these guys.”

“ _I sure do_ ,” the Soldier confirms, clearly amused.

“You…re-made the Soldier into an AI,” Bruce states, rather than asks and looks impressed. I only then notice that Wanda and Vision are…suspiciously absent. Rhodey is staying at Washington to make sure the government behaves and with Peter back at school and T’Challa running a country and all, the common room is actually emptier than it first seemed.

“Explains why he sounds like Bucky’s evil constipated twin,” Sam pouts and I send a glare his way.

“ _Hm…I hate to say this, but the fire extinguishing system on 68 th floor is malfunctioning. There’s no fire, but it spurts foam and water everywhere…,”_ the Soldier announces in what I somehow recognize as fake regret.

“Tony! Why is everything in this place breaking?!” Sam’s pout intensifies before he realizes what’s going on. “Hold on…that’s my floor! Son of a…” he adds and with a suspicious glare at the vents he chooses the stairwell instead to sprint up.

“Everything?” Tony repeats with a questioning look at the Avengers.

“Well…the vents are a minefield, Thor was too enthusiastic with the microwave when we were making popcorn and the coffee maker is rigged to give electroshocks to anyone who dares to be rude to your AIs…or you,” Bruce explains.

“Soldier? I told you to play nice,” Tony sends a glare upward.

“ _I am. And I_ _a_ _m teaching this lot to do the same_ ,” he defends himself.

“Tough love,” Natasha shrugs. “I like him.”

“Of course you would,” Tony squints at her but smiles. “We’re gonna let you all get acquainted so if you’d excuse us,” he says politely and pulls me back into the conveniently opening elevator.

“Uhuh, _you_ can’t wait to get closely acquainted with Bughgbhgb - ”

“Go on,” Natasha prompts us again, while executing some swift Clint-control choke hold again.

“Looks like the Soldier is right at home already,” I state, letting Tony enter his floor first once the doors slide open.

“Yeah…rest in pieces Clint and Sam. I had a feeling this was gonna happen.”

“The mean pranksters have met their match, huh?”

“Pfft, just imagine if those bird brains had access to the Tower’s security systems!”

“There’d be a crater here instead of a tower the next day,” I laugh and sneak my arms around the other man. “I had a great time tonight.”

Tony conjures up that sweetly confused expression, a little frown wrinkling his forehead. “The movie sucked.”

“I was distracted…didn’t pay much attention to it anyway,” I whisper into his ear, close enough to let my lips touch ever so slightly.

“But it was - ” he starts but pauses, clearing his throat. “Oh. Right…well…you’re picking the movie next time.”

“Gladly,” I nod, letting myself get lost in Tony’s sparkly hazel eyes for a moment. “I fancy a dance, too.”

“Do you, do you really, hm? In that case, you should know that I am a fantastic dan - ” I cut him off with a light kiss.

“We’re gonna look fantastic together then,” I smile and bring up his hand to shortly kiss it. “Thanks for tonight, Tony. Can’t wait for the next time…like, really can’t wait, so I’m thinking tomorrow?”

Tony chuckles, shaking his head. “Sounds like a plan, Captain Winter.”

I’m yet to stop flinching at the designation, but coming from Tony like this without as much as a blink, I think I might just get used to it. “Expect a formal letter of invitation by morning then, Man of Iron,” my smile widens and I bow in a gentlemanly manner. “Good night, Tony.”

“ _Whoa, wait! That’s it_?!” the Soldier snaps, making us both jump in surprise.

“That’s it,” I nod, searching Tony’s face for anything akin to disappointment but find…a grateful smile instead.

“For now,” he adds with a definite promise of more to come. When he’s ready. When we’re both ready.

The Soldier groans and goes silent.

“I hope you realize the entire team thinks that we’re in all different states of undress right now. Not to mention all kinds of compromising positions,” Tony wiggles his eyebrows and I let out a breath I’ve been holding for some reason. Who am I kidding, I’ve been antsy about this the entire evening. Not antsy enough to ruin the evening, hell no. But the question of how this date ends had been nagging at me the whole time, fearing that maybe deciding to leave it right here and now with just a good night kiss is not gonna be what Tony wants or expects. Seeing he’s in such a good humor, the fear was unwarranted after all.

“Let them think what they want,” I shrug…and then grin wickedly. “Actually, I’m sure the Soldier could come up with some fake, but evilly uncensored details to tell Clint all night long…?” I suggest and Tony bursts out laughing.

“ _Hm. Now there’s a thought…_ ” the Soldier muses out loud.

“ _Oh no…I suggest you don’t look at the search history, boss_.”

“Let me guess, Fry. The Soldier is researching sex,” Tony asks between giggles.

“ _No, actually…he seems oddly knowledgeable about the prospect. His research delves into more…kinky stuff_.”

Tony loses it, gripping onto his chest in effort to ease into breathing through the uncontrollable laughter. I can’t help but join in with chuckles of my own, looking up sternly. “Well done, my evil twin, well done.”

“Poor Clint,” Tony wheezes through the tears, trying to calm down. “Scratch that, serves him right. Get him, Soldier!”

“You’re gonna be payin’ for the mental health institution if he’s scarred for life.”

“I can afford it,” he shrugs with a satisfied smirk. “Looking forward for that letter,” he adds and gives me a proper - if I do say so myself – goodnight kiss, one that’s sure to keep me wide awake instead. A welcome change from the nightmares. Speaking of sleeping…

“Um…there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask ya…,” I ask uncertainly as soon as we break apart.

“Shoot,” he prompts, that bright, very real smile still on his face. Knowing that I’m the one who put it there makes me feel…strangely warm. And I hella like it.

“Do you think I could move in here? I mean…to this floor? Sixty-fifth is a-okay and all but…” But it’s _Steve’s_ floor. I don’t need to say that out loud, thankfully, because realization immediately sparkles in the genius’s eyes. Quickly followed by an out of the blue blush.

“Well, there’s plenty of space here…and uh…,” he trails off, eying me almost shyly. “Strictly speaking, this is _your_ floor, so maybe _I_ should be the one asking you if I can stay here…”

That positively stuns me there for a second. “As in…this was…”

Tony groans and looks away. “Yours and the Soldier’s floor, yeah. I kinda…moved in…afterwards…”

Slowly, a smile spreads across my face again because wow. This man…

“I see…you’ve missed me that much, huh?” I tease him, watching his face turn even a brighter shade of crimson.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, slapping my arm playfully. “Maybe…a little…so what?! I built this place, I can move to whichever floor I want whenever I want and - ”

I’ve decided I very much love the fact that I’ve not only found a perfect way to stop the genius from his thousand miles fast talking, but also that I can freely use this method now.

When I move back from the chaste kiss, he sports his usual cutesy pout. “You gonna do that whenever I start uncontrollably babbling?”

“Yeah,” I nod, turning my smile into a shit-eating grin.

“You do realize that’s only gonna make me babble even more often then? You’re basically encouraging bad behavior,” he points out with the pout slowly crumbling into a gentle smile.

“Can’t help falling for the bad boy thing, I guess,” I shrug.

“ _See, now_ that’s _a kink_ ,” the Soldier starts, immediately being cut off by FRIDAY’s disapproving ‘hmph’. I’ve had it with these two omnipresent lovebirds.

“Can we somehow…?” I suggest and Tony knowingly smirks.

“Mute!” he orders and both the AI’s go silent. “Seriously these two…”

“Exactly…so…”

“Oh! Right,” he smiles bashfully. “You can…move in tomorrow. It will save you postal costs on that letter I suppose,” he grins.

“Always the business man,” I chuckle. “Mind if I crash on the couch?” I ask and it’s my time to blush. “It’s just…” The whole floor stinks of Steve and it makes me wanna punch something and I can’t get five minutes of shut-eye before a nightmare creeps in and…

“Nope. Absolutely not. Not happening. Nah uh,” Tony says resolutely, shaking his head vigorously. “You’re not sleeping on this couch,” he points at said couch with sheer disgust.

“Um…oh kay? Well then…I’m just gonna…”

“Gonna have to share with me? Yep, that’s exactly what I was thinking!” Tony smirks, grabs my arm and heads towards his room.

“But…Tony…”

“Don’t _Tony_ me! You talked your way out of cuddling the last time, well I’m telling ya I better get some cuddles tonight…seriously, otherwise I’m gonna have nightmares about unnecessary movie sequels. You wouldn’t want that now, would you?” The mighty pout makes a reappearance with the additional bonus of the puppy eyes.

 “I definitely would not,” I agree but not because I was defeated by them puppy eyes. Nope.

“It’s settled then. Here, I’ll find you a T-shirt,” he adds as we enter the bedroom and starts rummaging through the drawer. “AC/DC or Black Sabbath? Or no shirt at all? I’m fine with all of the above.”

I roll my eyes and spot an Iron Man themed shirt. “I fancy myself this one, thanks,” I grin and grab it.

“So I’ve noticed,” he nods approvingly, throws me matching red and gold sweatpants and starts changing into his own sleeping clothes – which happens to be the Black Sabbath shirt he’s just took out and loose gray pants.

I do the same, throwing the chichi jacket and pants FRIDAY picked for me for the date over the armchair in the corner. We climb into the bed that would most definitely be able to comfortably accommodate several people without imposing on each other in any way but true to his words, Tony’s all after cuddles tonight. So as I lay down, he snuggles into my chest and I can’t help but chuckle into his hair while hugging him close.

“Hmm, you’re comfy,” he sighs. “And warm.”

“Glad to know I could pass as a luxury pillow,” I chuckle and run a hand up and down his back in nothing more than a warming up gesture as he does seem kinda cold.

“S’nice,” he mumbles, a smile clearly audible in his voice.

“You deserve nice,” slips out of my mouth on its own accord.

Tony stills for a moment before tightening his grip on my arm. “So do you.”

“Well…this _is_ very nice,” I confess.

“Mhm.”

We lay there like that, in silence, just listening to each other breathe until sleep slowly takes us. 


	2. A wonderful world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's rallying the remaining HYDRA forces to his side...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sundaaaaaay, finally! ^^ Here's a little new chapter that brings us...well, Steve :D That's never good xD
> 
> Thank you all so much for the kudos and comments <3 I'm really happy you're excited for the final part of this silly little series! ...excited and terrified, mwuhehe :3 
> 
> Welp, without further ado, here's a simple taste of what's there to be terrified of ^^

**[>>> Chapter Soundtrack <<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA&index=2&list=PLk09tmeXpLmD6NvW3PpJtZ8MomKvuN2_9) **

**_Steve's POV_ **

 

“The perimeter is clear,” Fairfax reports, stopping his brisk walk to stand in front of me. An intimidating sight for most, as he’s one huge man. “There are about thirty agents in the entire complex, Madame Hydra is waiting in the lobby.”

“As she said she would be,” I nod and head towards the abandoned building’s entrance. “Ford!”

A young man runs up to us. “Yes, Sir?”

“Keep everyone on alert. Watch out for signals and storm the place if necessary.”

“Roger that!” he acknowledges the orders and once again disappears in the foliage.

“We should have set up the meeting in one of _our_ bases. Madame Hydra has her reputation of unpredictability for a reason,” Fairfax utters in clear suspicion and walks slightly ahead of me as we enter through the gates.

“Maybe. But since we’re the ones wanting to meet, she gets to pick the place. Common etiquette, Fairfax.”

“To hell with etiquette,” he growls. “Just remember she’s the one who betrayed Zemo to the Avengers.”

“She had no obligation to help Zemo, especially after he betrayed he first by stealing her research.”

“Doesn’t excuse collaborating with the enemy!”

I pause at the door to face my second in command sternly. “And what have I been doing, hm? I killed Red Skull, destroyed Pierce’s plan and in doing so destroyed Pierce himself, all in the name of Avengers. I wonder what hidden grudges you have for me then if you’re so upset over her siding with the Avengers against Zemo.”

He looks taken aback. “S’not what I meant…we’re HYDRA, we do what we gotta do. But she’s the only one who didn’t join your cause as all the other leaders did. That’s why I don’t trust her.”

“Good. I hope you don’t trust the other leaders either, because that would make you a fool. When power is involved, nobody in HYDRA can be trusted. They would betray anyone if it meant they would get the power they so desperately thirst for. It’s part of why HYDRA keeps on failing, again and again.”

Fairfax shrugs thoughtfully and opens the doors. He’s not my second in command because of his quick wit and sharp mind. But he understands what HYDRA is supposed to be. He understands what needs to be done in order to get there. I don’t trust him, because that would make me a fool, too. But as long as our vision of HYDRA is the same, I can use him without fearing betrayal.

We enter the lobby of what once was some kind of a factory. True to the recon, Madame Hydra is sitting on one of the unbroken wooden chairs looking quite impatient. The only other person in the room is Crossbones, looming behind her back like a creepy bodyguard. Perhaps that’s exactly what he is.

“Captain,” she greets me, smiling deceptively sweetly. “I would have expected such an…old fashioned man to be fashionably late, but forty minutes is pushing it, Captain.”

“It wasn’t easy to get here,” I shrug, refusing to let her be in control of this conversation from the start. “Horrid place…didn’t you have a villa on Hawaii?” I smirk.

“ _Had_ , yes. Courtesy of your big mouthed friends in the Avengers.”

“They’re not my friends,” I say warningly but she laughs.

“I can assure you that you’re not theirs either. From Captain America to Captain Hydra. I must admit my road to who I am was lot less exciting. Still, one has to wonder why would the American icon, a hero for three generations of people, go haywire enough to join the…other side.”

“That answer is simple,” I say, sitting down few feet in front of her on the other chair. “HYDRA was never the other side for me.”

She raises a silencing hand. “Yes. I’ve heard the story. We’ve all heard the story. A young boy, raised in her mother’s beliefs, destined to become HYDRA’s greatest double agent,” she announces dramatically. “It’s a great story. Believable, too. Knowing all you’ve done in the past few months…I’m impressed, Captain. Truly.”

“But obviously not impressed enough to join me,” I cut straight to the chase.

“Don’t take it personally, I have been reliably told I don’t play well with others.”

“I know someone just like that. Which is how I know that teamplay can be learnt,” I argue, not liking that fake smile of hers in the least.

“I prefer to do things my way. That’s why I’ve become one of HYDRA’s leaders to begin with. Giving orders is what I do and I do it well, if I do say so myself. Receiving orders on the other hand…”

I nod, glancing at Fairfax, who is keeping his intimidating stare pinned on Crossbones. “Change is always difficult, I get that. But if HYDRA is to prevail, change is necessary and it’s happening whether you like it or not. Part of that change is uniting HYDRA under one leader. One vision. One HYDRA. Not Zemo’s HYDRA and Madame Hydra’s HYDRA… _one_ , united HYDRA.”

She laughs again, that short, unamused, almost mocking laugh and applauds slowly. “Very good, yes. If you are running for the president of HYDRA then I can tell you you’ve got the speech covered.”

I frown. “Sounds almost like you disagree with the idea.”

“Not necessarily, no. The Avengers are only so fearsome because they are united…well, _were_ united. Not sure how it’s going to unfold for them now that their former mighty leader became HYDRA’s mighty leader. Although, seeing that their current leaders are _united_ in more ways than one they are likely to recover fast.”

Crossbones coughs, poorly attempting to cover his chuckle.

“You have heard the news, of course?” she inquires, her smile turning mischievous. “Captain Winter is the new Captain America. Now _he’s_ a man that looks good in uniforms, objectively. People are going to love him. He’s quite lovable now that you know he’s not a cold hearted assassin somewhere underneath, waiting to go wild. More importantly, Iron Man thinks he’s lovable. And eeeeeeverybody loves Iron Man right about now so by proxy, they’re going to love him as well. Avengers will be back with strong leadership…maybe that is what you should be concerned about, rather than meddling with HYDRA’s inner politics, don’t you think?”

It takes all of my self-control to not shoot her dead right here and there.  

„What I’m concerned about is HYDRA’s lack of teamwork and purpose. Only when I deal with that can I make any moves against the Avengers. It just so happens that you are that last remaining unruly HYDRA head so once you’re dealt with...“ I trail off, knowing she will understand the implication.

„And how, exactly, do you imagine to deal with me?“ she asks, not a hint of fear on her face.

„That depends on what you decide. You can either join the new HYDRA, or perish with the old one.”

Crossbones takes a step forward with a growl but she stops his advance with a single hand wave. „Dearest Captain. I have been Madame Hydra since before you were fished out of the ocean. If anybody knows how much HYDRA’s been failing in the past decade it would be me. I have, after all, given myself this title because once upon a time it used to be fierce, eliciting fear and respect. Seems like a change of names is in order, because the old HYDRA is all but lost. We live in the age of superheroes, Captain. Becoming a super villain in such a dangerously saturated market is both brave and foolish. You had your moment of surprise, perhaps even two and now that everybody sees you as you really are, that momentum of shock is gone. The Avengers will make your life a living hell if it’s the last thing they do. And as for your...new and shiny HYDRA, I wish you best of luck because with your utopian ideologies you are sure going to need it.”

I listen to her patiently, giving Fairfax a pointed look. If this is how she wants this to end, then I will gladly help her meet that end. „Is that is?”

„That is it, Captain. We,” she glances at Crossbones, „are done with HYDRA. Our ambitions have evolved onto a different path. Different from what your vision is.”

„In other words, you are betraying us,” I sum it up for her in a threatening voice but nothing seems to faze this woman. What a shame...she would be a great asset.

„In other words, you can either respect my decision, take my blessings and leave. Or you can give the signal to your agents and we can settle it the old-fashioned way.”

I nod, standing up and looking at Crossbones. In Pierce’s employ, he has shown a great promise. Maybe it’s time to test his and all of her agents’ true loyalties. „If fight is what you are looking for, then fight we are gonna have, Madame...Freelance?” I smirk, but she just keeps watching me intently. „But your men don’t need to die for your silly decision. They joined you because they were joining HYDRA. And since that is a thing of the past for you...I’d say they deserve the chance to switch sides and join the _real_ HYDRA,” I offer, knowing that all her agents are listening. All of mine are, too.

She returns the smirk as Crossbones takes a couple steps to stand between her and us. „Join you? Oh I’d love to!” he laughs harshly. „I bet all our men would too! You know why? So we could grab your spine – if you even have one - through your mouth and pull it right out. Sloooooowly. I’d enjoy that very much.”

Well, Tony was right about one thing. He _is_ a sick fuck.

„Last chance,” I speak to nobody in particular.

„Take your last chance and shove it up your red white and blue asshole!” Crossbones scoffs and the next second an explosion rattles through the entire complex, the shock wave smashing us all onto the ground.

Well, so much for a nice little talk. If she dares to throw the first punch, then that’s fine with me. I’m gonna rip that woman apart piece by piece and if that screwed face survives, I’ll make him watch.


	3. Dream on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quiet moments of peace were never meant to last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again ^^ Hate break the groovy mood for the new Avengers but...blame the new HYDRA overlord :D
> 
> Enjoy! ^^
> 
> PS: Finally gone to see Doctor Strange...and I approve :D <3

**[>>> Chapter Soundtrack <<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX3lvwks7NU&list=PLk09tmeXpLmCe4xR9VyBh5XM5oYUt_zwM&index=1) **

_**Tony's POV** _

 

I enter the kitchen to a smell of freshly baked cookies. I don‘t even need to see the huge platter of the chocolate treat to know. It’s the godly smell alone that betrays it. “Cookies for breakfast? Why, Captain Winter, you sure know how to spoil a fella,” I tease him but find myself smiling like an idiot.

“I developed a sweet tooth, apparently. Chocolate was pretty rare back in the war…so I blame HYDRA. Oh wait, nah. I blame FRIDAY for introducing the Soldier to the evil parts of the internet.”

“Ah…deep web? Pornhub? Tumblr?”

“Baking tutorials on YouTube.”

“ _You wanted to read recipe books. FRIDAY only brought us to the 21 st century_,” the Soldier argues.

“Uhuh,” Bucky mumbles, unimpressed. “Anyway, good morning,” he beams at me, holding the plate up and my stomach does a double barrel roll because fuck…Tony Stark keeps on falling and falling. In love. With this man. Can I call this the best morning in my life, ever? Hell yes, I can and I will.

“Morning,” I return the smile and move in for a kiss but leave it to Clint to be an ass this early in the morning. Oh wait, it’s midday already. Never mind…but he’s still an ass.

“Are you two decent?!” He calls out from the hallway.

Bucky rolls his eyes, clearly as happy to get interrupted as me. “We are not here Clint!” he calls back. “Go away!”

Clint peeks around the corner, squinting at us as soon as he sees we are in fact decent and not…going all naughty with sugar and milk. Not my idea…but the Soldier really did google kinky stuff. There was a bit about hot honey in there somewhere too…hm…maybe I should take notes for later.

“If you think I came into this testosterone den willingly think again! I’m pretty sure your evil twin was messing with me hardcore but holy shit! A security AI? My ass…” Clint curses under his breath and glares at the ceiling. “Natasha bullied me into coming up here to tell y’all that Fury demands…I repeat, _demands_ all of us on the common floor, stat!”

Bucky frowns and glares at Clint in clear suspicion, folding his arms. “Fry could just tell us that through the comms.”

Clint actually curses some more and pouts. “Yeah! But obviously she’s turning all evil and shit too because she said…what was it again? Oh! That she would hate to disturb you guys so someone is gonna have to come up and take the blame for disturbing you! And obviously, there was nothing to disturb so…damn AI’s.”

“You did disturb us, mind you,” I join the glare fest. “I was just about to get my good morning kiss and eat these godly cookies, so fuck you, Clint! Disturber of peace and love, that’s what you are!” I tease him, while Bucky chuckles mischievously, putting the plate down and sneaking a hand around my waist.

“Well, let’s ignore the disturber of peace and love for a second then,” he winks and collects that good morning kiss - with interests, if I do say so myself.

“Uuuuuugh, seriously?! Guys, come on!” Clint whines and disappears into the hallway again. “Just come downstairs for fuck’s sake!” he adds and goes silent, probably taking the stairs five at a time to get away.

Bucky grins and pulls away. “Let’s go see what the other disturber of peace and love wants,” he suggests and offers his hand.

“Lead the way, el Capitano!”

We take the elevator down to the common floor and I note that it goes much slower than I built it to be. In Clint’s words – those damn AI’s. Not that we wouldn’t know what to do with the time.

“ _The Common floor_ ,” FRIDAY announces before opening the door so we don’t cause any more lifelong trauma.

“Finally!” Fury utters impatiently, stopping his pacing around the couch.

“Good morning to you too, Nickie,” I reply jokingly and only then notice the majorly serious faces around the room. „Wow, okay. Every time you come around the mood goes from a hundred to negative fifty, Fury. I’m starting to sense a pattern here.”

“Well, Stark, what I’m about to tell you is definitely a mood killer. You can thank me later for not sending you an email about this instead ‘cause hell, it did cross my mind.”

“He’s been this sinister since he arrived,” Natasha says, her usually smooth face all crumpled up with worry.

Shit. What is it _now_?! Did Loki cook up some shitsorm again? Thor is looking mighty confused rather than concerned so that’s a no. It’s probably some random villain of the week then. “Stop being so melodramatic and tell us then,” I prompt Fury, crashing onto one of the empty armchairs.

Bucky moves around to stand behind me, his eyes never leaving the SHIELD director.

“It’s better if I show you,” he sighs and looks up. “Would you mind, FRIDAY?” he requests but nothing happens. “FRIDAY?!” he repeats even more impatiently.

“ _Not happening_ ,” the Soldier replies instead, strangely serious.

Fury rolls his eyes and glares at me. “Your new AI is a pain in the ass!”

“Careful now, Nick. He only pranks this lot here but ain’t no stopping him if he hacks into SHIELD’s mainframe and haunts you all day,” I warn him, attempting to lighten the mood but hell, if the Soldier refuses to show us whatever it is Fury brought along, then shit just got real. I exhale tiredly and look up. “Show us, Soldier,” I command and for a second it seems like he’s not even gonna listen to me, but then the TV springs to life.

One second into the video and I’m already wishing the Soldier went full Ultron and destroyed the footage instantly.  

“Son of a bitch!” Clint exclaims, dropping right next to Sam out of nowhere. The rest of the Avengers are eerily quiet, probably stunned into silence like me.

The video is a security camera footage from the Raft prison. It’s not written anywhere but I think the two people on the footage are a dead give away to where this was taken.

Zemo and Rogers. And the latter doesn’t look like a prisoner to me.

“What is this,” Bucky utters through gritted teeth and I don’t need to see his face to know how angry he is.

“Watch,“ Fury simply orders, just in time so we could all be witness to one very much dying Zemo and one very much free and prison escaping Steve Rogers.

I’m pretty sure they were talking about something – the security system does have mics after all – but I couldn’t focus on the words. Until the man of my nightmares looks up straight at the camera with this awfully solemn expression and says ‘I’m sorry guys...’. He says a fucking _I’m sorry guys_! Can I break the screen? It’s my TV so I can totally break it!

The footage cuts off there and Fury takes a second to observe our undoubtedly stricken faces. „This is the four one one, people. Zemo is dead. General Ross and the entirety of the prison’s personnel that didn’t happen to be sleeper HYDRA agents are dead. Thaddeus Ross, the General's son and chief of security there was conveniently absent so within one hour, the HYDRA agents broke Rogers out of there and disappeared…for a time," he explains.

"That was a week ago," Wanda says, tone accusing. Clearly she decided snooping around Fury's head was a-okay given the circumstances. I agree.

Fury glares at her for a change and nods. "Yes. And before you rip my head off," he sends Natasha's way, "I didn't tell you sooner because we have only found out ourselves just two days ago because Ross decided to keep the massacre a secret himself."

"That's still two days," Natasha argues and does look very murderous.

"We've been gathering info on Rogers in that time and it was...suspiciously easy. He sure isn't hiding. According to our intel, he's been rallying HYDRA forces from all around the world to his side. One of the HYDRA agents we have caught told us, and I quote: 'The time of superheroes is over now that Captain Hydra is in charge.' He has taken over HYDRA," he adds as if it wasn't already obvious. Captain fucking Hydra?! 

Something grips the backside of the armchair hard enough to make it squeak and I'm not surprised to see it's Bucky's metal hand when I glance around.

"Well, him being with HYDRA is yesterday's news," Sam speaks up. "But what you're saying here is that HYDRA is actually _uniting_ under his command? Now that's damn scary, that is."

“What’s even scarier is imagining what he’s going to do with so much power at his disposal,” Bruce also finds his voice, albeit slightly choked. I can only guess what it takes to keep the Hulk at bay and this here Bruce is one trigger away from letting him loose. 

"Which is why I'm telling you _now_. We had to be sure what his plan was and how would HYDRA react. We got our answer," Fury sighs and squints my way with his single wannabe intimidating eye. “The question is, what are _we_ going to do about it.”

“What do you think?!” Clint spits out. “We’re gonna kick his ass all the way back to prison.”

“If by prison you mean grave, then I agree,” Natasha whispers dangerously.

“First thing we gotta do is calm down.”

I widen my eyes, looking around up at the man who I expected to high-five Nat and go hunt Rogers down right this instant. He keeps his iron grip on the poor armchair but his face is strangely…collected. I realize with a gasp that this right there is Bucky in soldier mode. Scratch that, this is Bucky in _leader_ mode.

“Indeed,” Vision, the only one who already looks calm, agrees and floats next to Fury. “We cannot let unnecessary emotion take over us in a situation like this. It would only serve in…Captain Hydra’s advantage and we do not want that now, do we?”

“What we don’t want is Captain Hydra knocking on our front doors with whatever fucked up plan he’s got on his mind,” Clint retorts, looking a bit disappointed that there’s gonna be no hunt right now.

“ _Let him come and knock_ ,” the Soldier growls.

“ _I should inform you that the Soldier is already taking…drastic security measures…_ with _my blessings_ ,” FRIDAY elaborates.

“Good,” is the first thing I manage to will myself to say. “That training we had in mind for tomorrow? We should do it today.”

Bucky nods. “Fry? Call Peter, tell him to cancel homework and get in here, now. Thor, you go pick him up…since you’re faster than lightning.”

“And intimidating enough to not get attacked,” I add, earning a nod from Thor, who wastes no time and storms off onto the terrace to fly away.

Bucky watches him go for a moment and then continues: “Nobody is gonna go alone. Anywhere. Jog in the park, grocery shopping,…”

“Toilet, the shower…” Clint jokes and manages to dodge Natasha’s feet, ready to stomp onto his. “Hey! I’m stressed, alright?! I gotta vent somehow and badly-timed jokes just happen to be one way to do it!”

“What about the farm,” Natasha glances at Bucky, face hardened. “Steve knows about it.”

“Thanks but no thanks! This ain’t helping the stress issue,” Clint complains, but sends the Russian a small, grateful smile.

Yeah, fuck! The farm…every now and then I forget some of these guys have more to lose than just their lives…wait, does Bucky even know about the farm?

“If you’re asking my opinion, I’d tell Laura to pack the bags and tell the kids they’re going sightseeing to New York, is what I’d do,” Bucky answers, dead serious. Huh. So he _does_ know.

“If they’re here with us, we can protect them,” Wanda adds and Clint visibly relaxes.

“Yeah…I’ll take the jet there and explain everything.”

“Count me in,” Natasha offers looking at Bucky seeking…permission. Well, wow, look at that.

“Go,” he nods and before he can inquire about Rhodey and T’Challa, FRIDAY cuts in.

“ _I have informed Peter and I have also explained the situation to Colonel Rhodes and T’Challa._ ”

“The man has a country to run, so if he can’t join us - ”

“ _He wants me to tell you that once he deals with his responsibilities and makes sure the country’s safety measures are sufficient, he will come. Colone Rhodes is probably already en route…if I understood correctly through the sputter of curses_.”

“Okay…alright. Thanks, Fry.” He turns to Fury expectantly. “What about SHIELD?”

Fury stares for a second, clearly not expecting Bucky to take control of the situation like that. Honestly, I think we were all surprised. In a good way.

“SHIELD? There ain’t no SHIELD, son. Those few agents I know I can trust wouldn’t even be enough to found a basketball team with.”

“That’s reassuring,” I scoff and stand up, pacing around the armchair. “I told you to get your shit together, Nickie. If it’s not HYDRA screwing you over, it’s either the government or some shadowy fucking part of it!”

“Let me worry about that, Stark,” he says and starts walking to the elevator. “You obviously got things covered here, keep me informed. Gonna throw out some more nets on intel. We need to know what the man’s after now that he’s got an army under his command,” he adds and disappears in the elevator with a ‘see you soon’.

“I’ll go set up the gym,” Sam volunteers and leaves the emptying common room.

“So much for some peace and quiet…,” I mutter, not able to move, let alone stand up from the armchair. Bucky’s steady voice as he gave out commands to everyone was apparently enough to keep the rising panic at bay, but as silence falls over the common room my brain decides to give in to the whirlpool of nightmarish thoughts.

He’s out there. He’s free and he’s leading HYDRA and we all know what he’s after. Nobody said it out loud but we all know. Sure, he wants to establish some new world order with HYDRA leading the way, but what he desires is something else. Someone else.

“Tony?”

Not to mention the revenge he is surely planning to execute on the Avengers…and Bucky. Shit! This is never gonna be over, is it? We’re just gonna have to keep looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives – which might be sooner than expected – or the rest of _his_ life, which I’d prefer to be as short as possible. It sucks knowing that sick bastards like him always find a way to cheat death. I bet I could blast him into tiny microscopic pieces, have the Hulk stomp over them, then blow them out to space and blast them again and a couple days later he’d come back all shiny and new to haunt us again. Fuck!

“Tony!”

I snap out of my thought momentarily, focusing on Bucky’s face, somehow directly in front of mine. He doesn’t look afraid, a mask of determination and concern is spread over his face definitely just for my benefit because I know he’s not stupid enough to _not_ be afraid. But my face must look like I’ve just seen Samara crawl out of the flat screen so he must have decided one terrified person in the room is enough. Wanda, Bruce and Vision disappeared in the meantime, leaving Bucky alone to deal with me. Can’t blame them, I don’t even know how to deal with me…and for some reason this man just knows exactly what to say and do and what not to say and do. _Come on, Tony, everyone’s keeping it together, you can do it too!_ “Uhuh?” is the only reply I manage though…so much for keeping it together.

He brings up a reassuring smile out of nowhere and it’s almost as if I’ve forgotten who I’m dealing with here. This is Bucky motherfucking Barnes. A soldier, a sniper, a man of war brave and calm and ready to punch Steve’s face into space before I even charge up the gauntlet. “Stop. Thinking. I meant what I said. We’ll figure it out. And if this punk thinks he can ruin it for us somehow, he’s got another thing comin’!”

I nod, attempting to return the smile with just as much confidence but fail miserably.

“C’mere,” he prompts and pulls me into a tight embrace. I snuggle close, a muffled sob escaping my lips. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”

I wanna believe it, I really do. But we both know it’s not okay. And it’s never going to be until Rogers is dealt with. For good.


	4. We're going down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously, on Chapter 4:
> 
> //////////////////////////////  
> Hello everyone!
> 
> As mentioned before, this is merely an author's note, not an actual chapter - yet! - but I feel like it's important to let you guys know first, that the fic is not dead and neither am I ^^ Long story short, I've been in and out of a hospital since December and between my job and getting better I had barely any time to do anything else at all (which unfortunately included writing and keeping in touch with most of my internet engagements...sorry T_T). Didn't want to make any announcements until everything is sorted, hence I'm making it now since now I actually have some valid information to give ^^ Speaking of which...
> 
> I am currently on the move - luckily, I don't own much so I expect to be all settled in a couple of weeks (god damn lego furniture tho...) by which time, nothing should stop me from getting back in the saddle and on this crazy ride of a story. I have a chapter or two written, but I didn't have a chance to edit them, so that's where I'll start. Officially then, you can expect the next - fourth - chapter to be uploaded on Sunday (duh :3) 28th! ^^ That's where I should also know more about what the schedule is gonna be for updating etc. so I will include that in there for convenience :3
> 
> Hope you're still on board this fanfictionwreck with me and are ready to see it to the end (which I am not so certain about after all this time, so now's your chance to appeal to my non-angsty, softy self :D). I will also try to get back to months-worth of all your lovely comments, bear with me until then ^^  
> //////////////////////////////////////  
> And now, the conclusion...
> 
> So...it is the fateful 28th of May and without much ado, this is the fourth chapter, yay! ^^ *instert a cheesy Terminator I'm back gif*  
> Thank you all for your awesome comments, I'm so happy you are still on board the angstrain with me here <3 
> 
> Don't worry though, not much angst in this here chapter...not...too..much anyway :D 
> 
> Next Sunday is the day, too! ^^
> 
> PS: A tag has by now disappeared due to it being obsolete for the future plan for this story...it wasn't an important tag. Or was it? :D

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0&list=PLk09tmeXpLmCPgsEoczVTlHRuvONJaVOk&index=3) _ **

 

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

We’ve never fought as a team before and it shows. From where I’m standing on the sidelines, observing the Avengers go through the training scenario it’s starting to remind me more and more of my first military boot camp training. I still remember the First World War veteran General’s introductory words to us: “You might be strong and skilled, and that will matter when you fight a single opponent on your own. But when you’re in a battle, a real army-against-army battle, the winning side won’t be the one with the most skilled, well-equipped soldiers. Not even the side with superior numbers. The winning army will be the one with the greatest teamwork, united under a strong leader.”

Throughout the war, I’ve realized just how true those words are. Howling Commandos were a prime example of this. We were brothers in arms, we knew each other on a level a mere friends living their lives in peace as opposed to the heat of battle would never be able to. And it showed in the way we fought, side by side, rallying to Steve, following his command. Not because someone put him in charge, but because we all trusted him. Trusted _in_ him. And that’s what made us every Nazi army’s worst nightmare.

The Avengers are broken. Because when the leadership fails, the team shatters into pieces as a result. And piecing it back together will require time and hard work. And it just so happens that time is what we are very low on.

“Nope. No. Nah uh. I know you’re a badass, Spiderling, but you don’t wanna get in the way of Thor‘s spin to win. You get caught in that and Mjolnir will rocket launch you to the other side of the planet,” Tony scolds Peter, who almost ended up with Mjolnir in his back. "Stick to Natasha, why don’t you?" he suggests, the Iron Man helmet undoubtedly hiding a smirk. “No pun intended.”

"Can I kill him?" Natasha asks and while I don’t understand the request, the Soldier does, because he growls warningly through the intercom. "Shame. One more spider joke, Stark, and I swear…!" she trails off, her glare clearly saying the rest.

“Aww, what would you do to me, Widow? Be detailed, pleeease!” he begs and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he has a death wish trying to provoke Natasha. But I _do_ know better. Natasha wouldn’t kill him...but she would most definitely prank him. Not sure how that’d go now that the Soldier’s in overprotective mode.

“Your boyfriend’s flirting with me,” she accuses, redirecting her murder glare at me.

“Yeah...and it’s distracting ya,” I grin, my eyes moving pointedly behind her, where Rhodey is slowly sneaking up on her.

She spins around just in time dodge his attack and roll away, expression falling neutral even though I’m sure I’ve seen surprise there for a second.

“Wh – you gave us away!” Tony pouts and spins in the air to face me. “Looks like we’ve got a new objective guys,” he tells the Avengers and slides the faceplate down, revealing a mischievous smile. “Captain Winter’s looking mighty comfy over there...let’s make him break a little sweat, shall we?”

I chuckle, ready to shoot back some teasing comeback, but Tony’s order apparently applies effective immediately, because just seconds later I’m forced to raise the shield and block Clint’s arrow. We might not be fighting with real weapons or at full strength, but those blunt ass arrows still hurt, alright? Especially since Clint aims at people’s foreheads.

“Dude’s mine,” Sam announces, grabbing me by the arms mid-flight and speeds towards the ceiling. He’s hella strong, this one. I could somewhat easily make him drop me back down by bashing his wings get-up a little...but Tony would actually kill me if I did that, so I settle for something easier, because right on queue, Thor launches Mjolnir our way. Sam dodges it, but I manage to catch the hammer before it flies off too far and since I am apparently not worthy of ruling Asgard and all that, the hammer’s unnatural weight makes us spiral towards the ground. “The hell?!” Sam struggles but can’t do anything but fall down with me or let me go.

He settles for the second option but before I touch the concrete surface of the training gym I’m up in the air again. “Captain,” Vision greets me politely, but I‘ve learnt that this little smirk he’s sporting means he’s being sarcastic. Huh. I forgot Vision can pick the hammer up. Oh well.

“Vision,” I reply just as sarcastically, let the hammer fall and swing the shield at the man, pushing him off of me and I am finally free to fall. It’s so not fair. Almost all of these guys can fly! Then again, being flown away might have been the easy way out, because here comes the formidable non-flying folk lead by no other than Natasha Romanov herself.

“I give up,” I try as soon as I touch down, seeing her storming straight at me.

“You can‘t!” she shrugs and the punches start flying. T’Challa materializes moments later and joins the fray.

I let them have a go at me, knowing I can fairly easily match them both and defend myself. Just gotta wait for an opportunity to fall into offense instead otherwise they can just wear me down...or get a lucky swing.

“He’ll want to switch into offense at first opportunity…let’s not let him do that, hm?” Tony comments, still floating above us somewhere, merely observing the team’s movements…and mine. Spot on, too.

Second later Natasha’s lips quirk and that’s how I know I’m so done. She swiftly drops to the floor, taking the Panther with her and before I can spot what she’s dodging, I’ve got webs up in my face, hands and legs soon following, sticking me down to the ground into a kneeling position.

Damn spiders, man. Spiders…

“ _Now_ you can give up,” Natasha chuckles nearby.

“Gee, thanks,” I mumble through the sticky mess.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Tony cheers and claps enthusiastically. “Point for team spider! Sorry bird team, maybe next time,” he thumbs-ups toward Sam and Clint.

“Yeah yeah, you win! Now can someone…unstick me? Please?” The webs sizzle red and dissolve. I nod my thanks at Wanda…who I think could have somehow taken me down a dozen different times and ways if she wanted to, but Tony signed her up for support, not offense. The role definitely seems to fit her and she appears to be satisfied with it, too. Go, Tony.

Speaking of whom…

“Not so comfy now are we, Captain Winter?” he taunts and finally descends to stand next to Natasha.

I decide to just roll my eyes and address the team instead. “It’s a good start. But it’s not good enough. Nowhere near.”

Everybody’s face – that can be seen – instantly schools into seriousness.

“Yeah,” Tony mutters, clearly falling out of the jovial mood as well. “Alright, the day is young. Let’s see what else we can do,” he says more to himself than anyone else.

“Take positions!” I command and the team falls into designated formation.

I’ve left the formation set-up in Tony’s hands entirely. Not only because he knows everyone better than me, but because he’s got the brains for this.

He made everyone team up into pairs that then work within smaller groups and then as a whole. I didn’t see how it would pan out…until I’ve seen the few fight scenarios Tony made them go through the past few hours.

Bird team works perfectly together. Sam can get Clint to any vantage point he needs – that he can’t get to himself – and they then both cover the team and themselves from above; Clint long-range, Sam up and personal.

The recently formed spider team instantly fell in line with each other even though Natasha was paired with T’Challa at first (much to Sam’s dismay) and Peter was with Thor. Good call to mix them up a bit since this way, Peter’s high mobility and mid-range disabling abilities will compliment Natasha’s wide arrays of finishers.

Team…Thunther? We’ll have to see how that goes, but one thing I know for certain. If I were HYDRA and saw Thor and T’Challa coming at me, I would launch myself into space and hope Thor doesn’t follow. Raw strength, good mobility sparkled with a bit of lightning sounds like it could work just fine.

Team Wicked Vision – Tony’s codename of course – was a bit of a surprise to me…before I realized what exactly Tony’s up to. The matchmaking aside, when they’re not fighting each other, they actually have a good set of complimenting abilities. Wanda’s magic is powerful, but it takes a lot of concentration to pull off which makes her vulnerable to possible surprise attacks. In comes Vision to provide excellent protection and as Tony didn’t miss out to remark – _good vision_ and offense from above when needed.

Which leaves Bruce and Rhodey, paired up in case of Hulk time, and of course team WinterIron. I’m gonna have to talk to Tony about these codenames. Seriously.

All in all, the basic set up is solid. Now to just put it all together.

“I’m thinking nighty night,” Tony muses, taking position next to me.

“Oh come on!” Clint complains instantly.

“What? Got eyesight troubles, Legolas?”

“Alright! Night-time scenario, FRIDAY. We’ve got night gear for a reason, after all,” I continue before Tony escalates into another Clint bicker session.

“ _Ready when you are_ ,” FRIDAY informs us emotionlessly…which changes only a second later. “ _Wh…uh…no?! Soldier! You can’t do_ that!”

“ _Your argument is invalid_. _I am doing it. Right now_.”

“ _But…_ ,” she sighs, clearly giving up the argument over whatever the Soldier has just done. “ _Well, boss, be ready for at least a level…twenty difficulty on this one_.”

“I thought there were only _five_ levels!” Sam glares at the ceiling.

“Heard the lady, birdman. Looks like the Soldier is cooking up some real hell for us,” Tony shrugs.

“I hate you,” Sam growls at…the Soldier, I guess? Because that’s when the lights go out and the Soldier gives him a sinister reply: “ _It is a twenty-five now, just for you_.”  

“Alright, let’s do this people!” I announce and fall back into full alert mode as the Soldier starts throwing his scenario obstacles at us.

 

It was well over midnight when we finally called it a night and sent everyone to rest. The exercise was exhausting but it was definitely worth it. Especially once the Soldier hacked himself into FRIDAY’s battle simulations and stepped up the game…big time.

“Kill me. Kill me now,” Tony groans and faceplants into the sofa on our floor.

“Uh…no. We still got tomorrow morning training to do,” I remind him and he groans louder.

“Oh hell…fine. Just move my bed over here or something,” he requests with a snort.

“Sure…although it could be easier to just move _you_ ,” I suggest with a smirk and Tony immediately rolls off the couch, ducks behind it and squints at me.

“Not a fucking Disney princess,” he mumbles, pouting.

I shrug and turn around, heading for the bedroom. “If you say so,” I chuckle and dodge the flying pillow with ease. “Dibs on the shower!” I bolt for the room, not caring for Tony’s sulking “It’s _my_ shower, you asshole!” in the least.

I grab my pajama pants and look for a clean towel for a while before finally heading to the shower but in the end I never make it to the bathroom door.

“BUCKY?!”

The shout stops me dead in my tracks for just a split of a second before I break all running speed records and barge back into the living room, scanning the surroundings.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary and other than Tony, still sitting by the couch but now on the phone with someone, nobody else is there.

It’s the alarmed expression on the engineer’s face that doesn’t allow me to relax. “What is it?” I ask, moving next to him.

He doesn’t reply, just hands me the phone, his face falling neutral.

I look at the display first to see who the call is from but it’s a blocked number. So I bring the phone up but hear nothing. “Hello?”

“Madame Hydra sends her regards as I’ve already told Tony,” a voice that sends chills down my spine says. “So much for that ‘ _Hydra_ ’ part of her name. Good riddance…speaking of which, you are next, _Captain Winter_. I believe you have two things of mine and I would like both of them back.”

The call cuts off then and all I can do is match Tony’s stunned expression.

 

 


	5. Before the day is done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allegiances are forged on both sides. All in name of revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week's passed, which means another chapter is here! ^^ I have also been informed that since I have deleted the "fourth chapter" in order to replace it with the actual story as opposed to the announcement, there was no notification or anything, so you might wanna go back to it first if you've missed it last week ;) Otherwise you might very well spoiler yourself with this here fifth chatper! 
> 
> Youtube is making fun of me and won't let me add stuff into playlists, because broken buttons are broken, so I will add the soundtrack as soon as that is resolved (I don't even know if anybody's listening to it anyway? :D) Nevertheless, the theme song for this chapter is Seven devils by Florence and the Machine, as well as In Time by Mark Collie and lastly Unconsolable by X Ambassadors (that one in particular set the mood for me while writing).
> 
> By all means enjoy and get ready...things are about to um...get bad. Here we go again :D I'll just...go hide into the Sparrington section and let that threat sink in ^^ 
> 
> (sink...haha! yeah...so I have watched a one hour video about how the first PotC movie was the best movie ever, guy pointed out Norrington and Jack were obviously a pining thing and I am now sailing on an already sunken ship...someone send help :'D)

~~_> >>Chapter Soundtrack<<<_ ~~

 

**_xxxSteveRogersxxx_ **

 

“That was fast,” I frown at Fairfax, entering the holding cell that just an hour ago still housed a very much alive Madame Hydra.

The bulky man shrugs. “Thought she’d be able to take more than that.”

“Clearly a wrong assumption,” I comment in disappointment. Not at Fairfax for killing the prisoner, but at the prisoner being such a fleeting source of amusement. “Did she say anything? Not that it matters; we have all the information we need.”

Fairfax smirks, glaring at the lifeless body of the former Hydra leader. “She said, and I quote, that once she’s outta here, she’ll slice me up and feed me to you piece by piece…and that I’ll be lucky if she gets to do it before Crossbones does. Lil’ piece of shit!” he curses and kicks the side of the unmoving body for good measure.

“Speaking of Crossbones…”

“The bastard took off as soon as our reinforcements dropped in after the explosion, the fucking coward. We are still tracking him around the area, but looks like he just disappeared.”

Indeed he did. But Fairfax got one thing wrong. He didn’t just abandon a sinking ship because he’s a coward. He was ordered to flee by none other than Madame Hydra herself. Which means he’s up to something and whatever it is, Madame Hydra took it to her grave.

Well…I do love surprises. It should be amusing to see what the lone dog comes up with this time, especially after I send him a cute little photo of what’s left of his former boss. Fairfax really did quite a number on her before she succumbed to whatever circle of hell she deserves.

I walk over to the metal table, containing all of Madame Hydra’s belongings. There aren’t many, a purse, phone, lighter, some strange vial of liquid I am not too keen on opening and a notebook. That in particular might come in handy, once somebody gets it deciphered. I grab the phone, fully determined to send Crossbones the nice little postcard, but as I scroll through the saved numbers, one catches my attention above others.

I recognize it. Of course I recognize it. It is just so surprising to see on Madame Hydra’s phone.

Tony’s number. Not the one that connects to FRIDAY or to Tower’s reception. His very own, private number.

“Dump the body somewhere…might still be of use,” I tell Fairfax and the man, as twisted as a man can get, chuckles in amusement and with a surprising strength of his own he lifts the body and walks out.

Eying the phone again I decide to press call. There’s no harm in keeping the Avengers informed of recent events. After all, now that HYDRA has submitted, it’s time for them to do the same.

A tired voice greets me from the other side. “Look, just because I gave you this number doesn’t mean we get to have good night chats now. It’s waaaay past midnight anyway,” he sighs. “Well? This better be a god damn emergency!”

Involuntarily, I smile at the engineer’s trademark pouty small talk. “You could say that it is, but you don’t have to worry. Madame Hydra won’t be bothering you with late night phone calls ever again.”

A gasp sounds from the other end of the line and I wonder what the man is thinking right about now. But this is not a social call.

“She’s dead and those in her command will all soon follow. HYDRA’s all mine now and you will be, too. Now, surely Captain Winter is somewhere near? Why don’t you put him through for me, Tony?”

There’s a silence for a second or two, before the engineer all but screams for Bucky. Gotta give my former best friend some credit, because his response was immediate. I can hear the door sliding open, the heavy footsteps running in wherever it is they are.

“What is it?” he asks, definitely in full alert mode. Tony doesn’t say anything, but with a shuffling sound I suppose he passes the phone onto my wannabe successor. “Hello?”

“Madame Hydra sends her regards as I’ve already told Tony,” I answer, enjoying the stunned silence. “So much for that ‘ _Hydra_ ’ part of her name. Good riddance…speaking of which, you are next, _Captain Winter_. I believe you have two things of mine and I would like both of them back.”

Not waiting for a reply I end the call, deeming it enough of a message. I have more important things to do this night than wreak terror among the Avengers. Although it did feel very good to do so.

I leave the dreary, dark cell, keeping the phone for now. Sure, Tony might be able to trace it, but that doesn’t concern me in the least. If the Avengers want to fly in to pick a fight first, then that saves me a lot of time. Besides, I have one more message to send to a man that would…how did he say it? Cross my bones?

Ugh. I want that guy dead, maybe just for that jovial statement alone. But I will break him first.

“Ford?” I nod at my young officer in greeting and a question at the same time as I enter the office.

“The meeting has been arranged, Captain.”

“And? What do you reckon about him?”

The youngster clears his throat, fidgeting. Looks like Bullseye made quite an impression…just over the phone. That’s my kinda man.

“He seemed…eager to meet you.”

“Good. And our guest?”

“He is waiting for you in the conference room. _Very_ impatiently I might add.”

“Wouldn’t expect it any other way,” I chuckle and head for said room, Ford following close behind automatically. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting…for too long,” I announce when we barge through the doors.

The man, comfortably seated at the table, legs up, hands folded neatly in his lap, isn’t fazed by our sudden entry at all. If anything, the mischievous smirk one can only associate with this man spreads even wider across his face.

“Captain! How may I be of service to…such an esteemed warrior?” he asks, his melodic voice almost singing the question.

I match the smirk – or attempt to – and sit down across from him. “I am not sure…yet. Maybe _you_ could tell me. If I were to say Earth is your playground now…what sort of hell would you be capable of summoning?”

And just when I thought that smirk of his was at full capacity, it widens still.

 

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

 

“I’m really starting to lose my patience with you, Nickelodeon. First, you keep us in the dark about the Raft prison break, then you all but swear on your firstborn baby that you will keep the situation in check and now look where we’re at,” I glare at the one-eyed menace.

“Stark, listen - ”

“No, _you_ listen,” Bucky growls in warning. “The last time HYDRA was united under one leader the world was almost brought to heel in one of the worst wars in history. Red Skull was dangerous, but not nearly as dangerous as the person that destroyed him. The very same person _now_ in charge of HYDRA. HYDRA that’s not scattered around under dozens of leaders, operating from the shadows of hiding. HYDRA that’s once again united and out there, for all the world to see.”

“That was step one,” I continue for him. “Gather all the heads and merge it into one big one. One head proved too unruly and Rogers cut it off like a weed. And what’s worse? Madame Hydra’s surely torturous demise sent a very clear message to all those leaders already pledged to Rogers’s cause.”

“Betray me and that’s how you’ll end up,” Natasha spells it out.

“So now that that’s established, he can move to step two. And we don’t need intel to know what step two is,” I continue. “He will regroup, devise a plan of attack and attack. It’s not a matter of if or how he’s gonna do it, but when.”

“I don’t want to say we’re ready, because that would be an overstatement, but if it comes to a fight I’m confident we could face him. It’s collateral damage we should be worried about the most. We had a disturbing preview of what it looks like when a group of enhanced individuals clash in battle and even if it’s just us against him, the potential damage we can cause is…damn scary,” Bucky shudders. “If he brings the fight here, we are likely to face a scenario similar or worse to the Chitauri attack.”

“ _There is an evac plan set up already, but even if it initiates immediately after an attack begins, there are still bound to be many casualties within the vicinity of the Tower, perhaps even as far as a mile radius around it_ ,” FRIDAY explains.

“The Soldier is reworking the plan already, trying to make it more effective, but that’s all we can do…unless we know exactly when Rogers attacks and sound the evac before he gets here,” I sigh, not missing the low growl coming from the intercom. The Soldier is definitely keeping himself busy – his first order of business was of course taking over my phone, making all incoming calls go through him. According to FRIDAY, he’s even prepared a very graphic message in case Rogers calls again.

Fury takes a calming breath, watching us wearily. “I’d like to tell you I know something that could help y’all out in this, but I don’t. All I’ve got is one hellicarrier and about fifty personnel to go with it. My informants can only ever get so far and they are not getting any closer to them deep circles of HYDRA to see what Rogers is up to. Not in time,” he admits.

“Good thing that they won’t need a bunch of redshirts infiltrating the highest ranks of HYDRA to get that information,” a husky, completely out-of-place voice says.

Everybody snaps their gazes to the far end of the common room, where leisurely lying on the windowsill is one very much suited-up Wade Wilson.

“Security breach,” I blurt out comically, knowing that neither AI would have a reason to forbid this guy from entering the Tower. An announcement would have been nice though.

“ _Sorry, boss_ ,” FRIDAY apologizes as if reading my mind, but doesn’t sound sorry at all. She likes him, alright. “ _Mister Wade_ insisted _on a…dramatic entry_.”

“Who that?” Sam stares at the man suspiciously as well as most of the Avengers that didn’t yet have the pleasure of meeting this one. Some pleasure it is…

“Deadpool!” I bark at him. “A dramatic entry can get you killed in a room full of highly dangerous people that don’t know who you are!”

“Kill me? Oh my…,” he fakes fear in his voice, sitting up and slapping his palms on his cheeks exaggeratedly.

“ _This_ is Deadpool?” Bucky asks, raising an amused eyebrow.

“At your service, Captain…not,” Wade undoubtedly smirks behind the mask. “Can you imagine me working with these guys? Look at them! Who dresses like _that_ ,” he points at Thor while talking to…nobody in particular?

I sigh, getting up to stand between the crimson and black clad vigilante. “Avengers? Deadpool. Deadpool? Avengers,” I nod around, executing the swiftest introduction. “He’s my fellow ‘not recommended for Avengers Initiative’ dude. That’s a long story,” I add when Bucky frowns dangerously making Fury promptly slip out of the room before somebody spill that particular tale. “Anyway…why did you sneak in here this time, Wade?”

He shrugs, standing up. “I found a stray at my doorstep last night.”

“A _stray_ …?” I gesture for him to continue.

“Yeah. Me kinda lookin’ass dude, mean look, smells like crippling depression?”

I roll my eyes, noting the team’s worsening confused expressions. “Rumlow.”

“Wasn’t Crossbones Madame Hydra’s agent?” Vision states, rather than asks.

“Crossbones? Ya really call him that? I went with Bonnie. He stabbed me in the ass for it, so I changed it to Boners.”

“Yeah yeah yeah…fucking Rumlow. Of course he’d come out alive outta that,” I comment.

“Alive might not be the word I’d use,” Wade corrects me, hopping closer to us to lean on the bar. “He looks like his kitty died. Might just be the way his face is, I wouldn’t know.”

“What did he want?” Bucky cuts to the point, treating Deadpool with no suspicion or animosity which makes the team finally relax.

“Lot of things…place to stay the night, shower, lemon ice-cream. As for the rest of his desires, I recommended he talks them over with you. While vengeance _is_ my specialty, in this case it’s more up your alley,” he tells us, turning away to talk to…nobody at the bar. “Their name is _Avengers_ after all, amirite? Heh…uh, anyway,” he turns back to us. “I brought him along, but your new security fella wouldn’t let him in.”

Right. Of course he wouldn’t. “Soldier?”

“ _I’m still not letting him in_ ,” he growls.

“What if I say _please_?” I try, but he only growls some more.

“ _He is already on his way up the elevator_ ,” FRIDAY surprises us.

“ _What_?!” the Soldier barks and for a moment I fear he just might send Rumlow flying back down the twenty floors to meet an explosive end. “ _Pfff! Whatever…_ ,” he mutters in the end, probably reacting to something Fry told him.

“Play nice you two,” Bucky comments to the ceiling and moves along with everyone present – except for Wade, who instead starts helping himself to a drink – towards the elevator.

It soon opens to reveal a worn-out figure of what I _think_ is Rumlow? The man most definitely saw better days…even before he lost that fight with the building. Almost looks like he hadn’t slept in days and that lemon ice-cream probably didn’t do enough to lift his spirits.

Not that I’d be sympathizing with this slimy asshole. Most definitely not. Nope.

He startles between the doors, eyeing us with a frown. He slowly enters as if trying to persuade us he is not a threat. There’s not a fool in this room that’d believe that.

“Agent Rumlow,” Bucky greets him, but his voice gives out a very clear warning.

He stops his advance into the room and locks gazes with Bucky. “Captain Winter. Not sure I’m an agent anymore…what would I be an agent of?” he asks humorlessly.

“I dunno…agent of cleaning Captain Hydra’s underwear? He sure is gonna be in need of one soon,” I babble, making the fucked-up face grin.

“Stark,” he nods my way. “I won’t waste time with any more pleasantries then. Madame Hydra is…dead,” he informs us, voice cracking somewhat.

“We know,” Bucky says.

“Then you also know that HYDRA is now under Rogers’s absolute control,” he adds and Bucky nods. “What you might not know is what that son of a bitch has planned in the upcoming days for you.”

“And _you_ do?” Natasha inquires, stepping closer to the agent…not…agent? Her advance is, if nothing else, intimidating if Rumlow’s single step back is any indication.  

“Yeah, I do,” he deadpans, deadly serious now. “The meeting…where we refused to join his cause…we knew how it would end. We knew his forces would overpower us, but when have odds ever stopped us before. The plan was never to just go out with a bang.” His eyes fall to the ground…looking just as dead as Deadpool described. “While the fight commenced, I set out on a mission of my own. With Rogers’s agents all busy, I took the liberty of hacking into the equipment they’ve brought along and _interrogated_ a couple stray agents, too far from the fight for anyone to notice.”

“What did you find out?” Bucky asks, stepping over Natasha, voice serious as well.

“I will tell you, of course. I will tell you everything you want to know…but I demand one thing in return.”

“And what would that be?” Natasha glares at him from behind Bucky.

“Revenge,” he answers simply.

“Deadpool mentioned that, yeah, but - ” I start but Rumlow cuts in.

“I want Rogers dead. And if that means I have to fight alongside you, then I will. Whatever it takes.”

“Zemo thought you were fighting alongside him as well,” Vision floats next to me, face neutral. “Pardon me but your allegiances as of late have been rather…changeable.”

Rumlow watches Vision for a moment and then slowly brings up his phone from his jacket’s pocket. “My allegiances never changed. They have been…and always will be with just one person,” he growls through gritted teeth, while clicking through something on the phone.

Once he finds what he’s looking for, he pretty much tosses the phone at our feet. Bucky picks it up wearily, but freezes instantly when he looks at the screen.

“I don’t care what you do with me when this is over, I don’t care what you think about me or my motives…I don’t give a flying fuck about anything anzmore...all I want is to make Rogers and all his misguided henchmen suffer,” Rumlow adds dangerously, his empty gaze staring at the phone. “And I can’t do that alone…not now that I know what I know.”

When Natasha, of all people, looks over Bucky’s shoulder to see what they’re looking at and winces… _winces_ …I walk up to them and grab the phone.

I really wish I hadn’t.

It’s just a single photo…of what’s left of Madame Hydra after Rogers or his men were done with her. And I don’t dare to think about what they had to do to her to make her look like _that_.

I pass the phone to others, because for them to understand my next move, they need to see it. Before Bucky can stop me, I walk straight up to Rumlow, locking eyes with the madman. The stare conveys more than words could. When you’re on the same page with someone, a simple stare can do that.

Looking over my shoulder, I glance at Bucky, searching for…agreement. He gives me a nod, face hardening.

“Well then, Rumlow,” I turn back to the expectant man. “Welcome to the Avengers…for now.”

A gurgling sound comes from the bar, where Deadpool almost chokes on whiskey. “See this shit?! Anyone can join the A-teams now…unbelievable,” he complains, taking a swig from the whole bottle.

 


	6. Winds before the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumlow shares what he knows of HYDRA's plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This Sunday on this hellish piece of fanfic, I give y...okay, okay, Rumlow gives you a little preview of what's to come. And when I say little, I really mean little, because somebody is bringing a big party Avengers' way. You might have noticed I scratched the Infinity war off the tags because I am not going with Thanos on this particular ride. Mainly because he's uh...bit of an overkill for this story, I honestly wouldn't have an idea how to deal with him without bringing some serious help :D Instead, I'm bringing in some help for Captain HYDRA, the poor man deserves it...right? ^^
> 
> Enjoy and get ready, the game is about to begin, mwuheh <3

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

 

I kinda wish I could undo my decision to invite Rumlow in on this right about now. He casually downed an entire bottle of expensive, _very_ expensive whiskey, stuffed half of the blueberry pie – that Bucky made just this morning! - in his mouth, mumbled something about a shower and disappeared into one of the empty rooms Vision pointed him to.

And then there’s Wade, who wouldn’t be defeated by the former HYDRA agent and tried to one-shot the bourbon. And ended up underneath the bar, hugging the stool.

“For fuck’s sake, Wade!” I roll my eyes, when he starts to _flirt_ with the stool as well. “We really don’t have time for this.”

“And the same time we have nothing better to do,” Clint shrugs from where he’s sitting on the sofa with most of the others. “Unless you want to send us to do reconnaissance.”

“We would definitely have better luck than Fury,” Sam snorts and with one hand over his eye he mimics the SHIELD director. “Sorry, we can’t help you, we are useless, uhuhuhuuuuhrghh,” he whines but instantly chokes when Natasha slaps him in the back.

“That’s my former boss you’re talking about,” she glares at him.

“S’not like I’m lying,” Sam pouts and dodges behind the sofa when Nat aims a swift kick to his shin.

“You wanna die?!” Clint shakes his head at his fellow birdman.

“Maaan,” Sam whines some more, but keeps his trap shut.

“Guuuurl…lemmme sh’w ya my p…peeeeeas,” Wade slurs, showing the stool a bag of _actual fucking peas_ he fishes out of his pocket…I swear I’m gonna find a way to kill him if it’s the last thing I do.

I flail my hands uselessly in the air and go behind the bar to find whatever’s left of my liquor. “Is nobody taking this seriously?” I mumble, pouring myself a safe amount of brandy. Triple safe, triple brandy.

“As Clint pointed out a while back, joking is sometimes the only way to deal when a situation is…this bad,” Bucky gives me a small smile, sitting down on one of the free stools.

“Yeah, well I’m the resident fun guy and even I’ve run out of jokes. I believe the phrase ‘this escalated quickly’ can be used to describe this mess.”

“There’s still time to choke Rumlow with his own pair of shoes, dump him somewhere in the ocean and pretend this hasn’t happened,” Nat suggests, stealing the glass of bourbon right from my hand.

“Great idea, only problem is this guy,” I point an accusing finger at Wade, still trying to seduce the inanimate object. “Because he actually likes Rumlow,” I mumble, not understanding at all what’s there to like.

Well…there’s the face thing…and Rumlow _is_ a traitorously mischievous asshole which compliments Wade’s mischievously jovial character. And it turns out they are both on the gray side of things; no superheroes, no supervillains, just serving their own agenda. Good thing Fury slithered out of here, otherwise he’d be hiring these two idiots for SHIELD. In Rumlow’s case for the second time.

Natasha squints at Wade, clearly thinking about how quickly and efficiently could she dispose of him. If anyone could kill an immortal man, it would be Natasha. “I could think of something,” she shrugs, winking at me.

“Thanks…but I think we can manage to live with Rumlow for a fight or two,” I reply with a smile.

“Still, it’s the thought that counts,” Bucky smirks and exchanges a scheming look with the Russian spy. “What do you think?” he asks Wanda, who’s been quietly sitting on the fluffy carpet by the piano, a thoughtful look on her face.

“I think we need to get one thing straight,” she answers seriously, making even Clint and Sam stop bickering behind the couch to listen. “Rumlow is out for blood. And while some of us have definitely thought about it…joked about it too, nobody really made it clear. Definitive.”

“What do you mean?” Bruce asks, taking his glasses down and putting them onto the piano behind which he’s sitting.

“Rogers. Dead or alive?”

Oh.

“Is that really a question?” Natasha says darkly.

“Of course it is,” Vision argues and looks at Bucky. “It is not for us to make that decision.”

Bucky sighs, turning around to face them. “But it _is_ a decision for _us_ to make. This is not something one man can decide, I’m not a judge…all feelings aside, we gotta decide _together_.”

Silence settles in the room, only interrupted by Wade’s disgusting slurping sounds...he better marry that stool by the end of this.

“ _What is there to decide_?!” Soldier breaks the reverie. “ _You capture him alive, I will kill him_.”   

“You capture him alive, _I’m_ gonna kill him,” Rumlow growls, emerging from the dark corridor. “Care to explain to me why is your creepy alter ego a voice of the fucking reason in the walls now?” he asks Bucky, walking up to the bar.

“So it can haunt you in your sleep,” I tell him in all seriousness.

He chuckles, taking a longer rout around Natasha – just in case – and with a frown sits down on the stool his bff has been wooing for the past half an hour. “Dude, this one’s already married. To _my_ ass.”

“Ahhh,” Wade whines and lies down, sniffing around him. “Why do your feet smell like Daffodil daydream…did you steal my soap, you shit?!” he accuses, completely sober. Pretty sure he’s been this whole time.

“And your white fluffy unicorn, shithead! Anyway...if anyone in this room thinks this is gonna end with Rogers alive, behind bars or sumthin’, they should probably stay out of this then. And before you try reasoning with a mad man,” he glares at Vision, who’s likely about to argue, “you oughta remember what happened last time you locked him up in a prison. Ya do that again, it’s gonna go the same way.”

“Someone punch me…I agree with this guy,” Natasha utters in disbelieve.

“I think we can all agree that locking him up is no longer an option,” Bruce nods.

“Before you sharpen your daggers, arrows and whatever else y’all fight with, just gonna mention that killing him might not be an option either. At least not an easy one,” Rumlow adds, face falling serious again.

“Spill it, Rumlow,” I spit at the man, tired of how he keeps dancing around what he’s found out about HYDRA’s newest plan.

“Why, _Iron Man_? You eager to start shitting your pants?” he attempts to sound sarcastic, but it comes out as hollow as he looks.

“Are _you_ eager to introduce your face to my fist?” Bucky answers in kind.

“Kinky…maybe later. First,” he spins on the stool to mimic Bucky and looks at the remaining Avengers, his gaze lingering on Thor. “First we’re gonna have to deal with this guy’s asshole brother and all the reinforcements he’s bringing.”

All attention snaps to Thor, the demi-god fidgeting for a bit under the scrutiny. “Loki is in Asgard – secured,” he adds for good measure but then his face is crossed by uncertainty. “Last time I have heard.”

“You might wanna get an update on that,” Rumlow scoffs.

“How would Rogers get a hold of someone in Asgard?” I pry all the while attempting to really not shit my pants. When Loki got involved in Earth’s affair on previous occasion, it almost ended in a fucking end of the world.

“HYDRA has been…developing ways. Not just to reach Asgard, but way, waaaay beyond that. Strucker used his time with the scepter well. Combined with HYDRA’s shared knowledge of the Tessaract and all the research done by SHIELD, you are in for a rough awakening if you think HYDRA’s been idle with it,” Rumlow explains.

“Ways, what kinda ways?” I snap into attention.

“Interdimensional kinda ways?” he smirks. “Don’t ask me for details Stark, I’m fine admitting my brain ain’t bright enough to have understood a word of that R&D report. I know three things. Rogers has reached out for other… _specials_ …out there, not yet affiliated with anyone. When he found out there really aren’t that many and one of them sent him straight to fucking hell,” he grins at Wade, “he began outsourcing elsewhere using the portal HYDRA’s built. He made contact with someone called the Enchantress on Asgard, fuck if I know who that is. She brought Loki in on whatever he offered and to top it off, you can bet your avenging asses he’s gonna be bringing more trouble through the portal from places none of us can quite imagine,” he finishes dramatically and deeming it necessary to give us a second to process, he turns back around to pour himself a drink.

“Thor?” Bucky turns to the demi-god, who turned an alarming shade of gray.

“This _Enchantress_ person’s one of yours?” I ask the ashen man.

“Yes. Yes, she is,” he recovers somewhat. “If Loki escaped Asgard, she is likely the one who helped him do it. She is most…dangerous.”

“Aren’t you all?” I utter and glare at Rumlow. “Great, so HYDRA built some illegal toy that connects to other worlds and dimensions – I’m really not a fan of those! – and Rogers is gonna recruit god knows who and what outta there while also being helped by not one, but two Asgardians. Looks like odds are stacking against us real fast.”

“Yeah, so you better tell me y’all ready to do what’s gotta be done when shit goes down, because they sure as hell ain’t gonna give you no quarters,” Rumlow growls. “We’ve got two days, tops. Then all hell breaks loose…,” he trails off and returns to his glass.

“Then we better get ready,” Bucky announces and looks up. “How’s that evac plan goin’, Soldier?”

“ _Working on it_ ,” Soldier answers, voice strained.

“Well you can stop right about now. We need New York empty by tomorrow.”

“You serious?!” Clint bulges his eyes at the Captain. “You want the whole city evac’d?!”

“It’s the only way. We could try to lure them somewhere else, but they will seek out a public place, just like before and it just so happens the Tower as public as it can get. I want every civilian out of here, as quietly as possible. If HYDRA gets a wind of this, they might try to relocate the fight somewhere really public and we don’t want that.”

“FRIDAY? Call Pepper and tell her everything. If we’re evacuating the whole of New York, we need some serious, official backing and she’s the only person I know who can handle a room full of posh politicians and get what we need before lunchtime today,” I think ahead, getting on board with Bucky’s idea.

“ _On it, boss_.”

“Soldier? We will need a place to temporarily house about nine million people…and means to get them there. Get some planes…hell, buy the planes if need be. What else…NYPD should handle closing the city off and the army along with us should oversee the evac itself, help with more tricky places such as hospitals, sanatoriums and such.”

“ _Boss…you really shouldn’t allow the Soldier to actually buy things. I think he might have bought the entire Emirates airlines just now_.”

“ _So what? I’ve heard they have great foodservice_ ,” Soldier retorts and I probably should have thought about giving him so many privileges when I was programming him.

“Right, oh well,” I shrug.

“You guys are nuts!” Wade shakes his head and climbs to his feet, using Rumlow’s tight to prop himself up. “Just like me. I’ll go see if _we_ can get some reinforcements somewhere…preferably not another dimension, but beggars can’t be choosers, right? Does his brother dress the same way? So I know who _not_ to ask,” he explains when Rumlow glares at him.

“Fuck off now before I slice you up,” the agent-not-agent threatens the immortal man, mostly because said man didn’t bother to move his hand from…down there.

Deadpool jerks away with a girly shriek and hops to the window. “Geeeee, why you so meeeean. I want my unicorn back, you shitbiscuit!” he shouts back and jumps off the balcony.

What a show-off…

“Alright people, we know what we gotta do. Nat, get Fury out from wherever he’s hiding and brief him.”

“You got it,” she nods and shoots off.

The rest however just stare at Bucky, waiting…for…oh!

I round the bar, elbowing him in the ribs.

“Ouch! Wha - ”

“Captain Winter?” I raise my eyebrows, looking between him and the team.

“Oh…,” realization dawns on him then. He clears his throat and all I can do is give him a reassuring smile. “Avengers…assemble!”


	7. The Devil You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HYDRA makes the first move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya everyone! Here we go with the regular Sunday update, yay! I'm really excited for the upcoming chapters...which should be a really bad sign for you. It means baaaaad things area head :D *runs away*
> 
> Enjoy! <3
> 
> PS: I am introducing a couple characters that are yet to make an appearance in MCU - if ever, lol - but they are pretty straightforward, or will make themselves be. Aaaaand bringing back some old familiar faces. For funsies... *smirks* The fight's gonna be BIG, is all I am gonna say...

**_xxxSteveRogersxxx_ **

“Fascinating piece of technology…for a simple human design,” Loki says almost appreciatively, eyeing the glowing portal.

“Gee, thanks,” Fairfax grumbles, his suspicious stare never leaving the demi-god, nor the deadly assassin lurking in the darkest corner of the hall.

“Who do you wanna bring through there again? Thought me and Mr. Fancy-cape over there would be enough to balance the odds,” Bullseye comments, also quite vigilant about his surroundings.

It took me a while to get accustomed to his sneaky behavior, but with a man of his set of skill I didn’t really expect anything else. “I know you’re good, Lester, but are you good enough to fight the Hulk? Or Thor? Or a witch?”

He shrugs. “Fancy-cape can have those, I’ll take on the rest.”

“Why is that worm addressing me so familiarly?” Loki spits through gritted-teeth, glaring at Bullseye with all his menacing power.

“Because I can,” he replies, amused. “You wanna call me a worm, that’s cool, too. No hard feelings. Yet.”

“Gentlemen, why don’t we leave some animosity for our _actual_ enemies?” I offer before these two break into a fight.

“What animosity? Me and Fancy-cape are besties,” Bullseye retorts, giving Loki a toothy grin.

The demi-god appears to be considering the pros and cons of smiting him with his stare alone, eventually deciding to leave him be. “The worm presents a sound question, though. Who do you expect to recruit in all these realms, so different and yet so alike this one? I wonder.”

“I’ve left that up to Enchantress. I’m sure her choices won’t disappoint me.”

Loki grimaces, but doesn’t comment on it further. After that it all comes down to waiting for the Asgardian witch to return from her mission in the other dimension. The battle plan is set, now I just need the necessary pieces to make it a success.

We move back to the lounge in front of my office and indulge in drinks – with the exception of Fairfax, who is not at all happy about our recent additions to the team. Especially Bullseye. It’s understandable, really. The mercenary has a tricky reputation, but also a deadly reputation. That alone makes him worth the possible trouble.

I was hoping Deadpool would join in the fun as well, just to see how these three could handle each other. But Deadpool decided to be troublesome. Fine by me as long as he didn’t join the Avengers instead, which I doubt. What was it he said? That Avengers are a fashion suicide and he’s not a superhero. Not a villain either I suppose.

Enchantress takes her sweet time. We are half-way through the contents of my bar when she finally decides to once again grace us with her presence, walking through the door with a very satisfied smirk. Good sign for me, bad sign for the Avengers.

“Captain,” she greets me with a nod, eying my companions. “Hope the boys behaved while I was gone.”

Loki naturally takes offence at being called a boy, but he merely glares at the witch, who most apparently rivals him in both magic and fashion if her luxurious dress is anything to go by.

“I take it your journey was successful?”

“Indeed. I think you will find these volunteers useful,” she smiles, a small and somewhat disturbing smile and steps further into the room to allow the waiting recruits to enter.

Fairfax springs to attention at the sight and I can’t really blame him. Color me impressed. I don’t know where she found these, I mean, I do know where, but I wouldn’t expect some of them to join this particular cause.

“Is that a fucking Hulk?!” Fairfax blurts out, squinting at the huge, green figure standing just behind the door that it wouldn’t really with through.

“Don’t worry, this one has him on a leash,” Enchantress points at Wanda Maximoff, who keeps hanging behind one very much alive Pietro Maximoff. Interesting. They look almost the same as the ones I knew, but still different. For one, Wanda has a short, spiky hair that doesn’t really suit her at all. Or maybe I’m just biased by this Earth’s version.

I recognize the other entrants as well, most of which are long dead here. There’s Red Skull, still just as formidable looking as ever. As red as ever, too. And unmistakably Ultron in his regrettably basic yet still tough vibranium coated body.

The two men behind Red Skull I also recognize as Strucker and Zemo. I’m not too excited about those, but as long as they are not as useless as their counterparts here, it’ll do. The menacing looking red-head next to them though, now her I am excited about. Without a question, it’s one Natasha Romanov. That empty stare though doesn’t seem like her at all, but I have seen it before. On the Winter Soldier’s face.

This will be interesting.

Late to enter the room is a masked woman, dressed in a dark green suit that almost matches Loki’s get up and this one I do not know, although she seems familiar. Somehow…

Noticing my suspicious stare, Red Skull does the introduction. “This is Viper, one of mine I believe.”

Ah, a HYDRA agent I haven’t encountered yet. Well, as long as she’s useful. “Viper,” I nod her way and her thin lips spread into the tiniest of smirks. I know that smirk!

“Captain Hydra. I simply wouldn’t believe this over the top alien chick that a Captain America turned HYDRA and is looking for reinforcements, so I naturally had to come see for myself.”

_That_ is without a single shred of doubt the voice of the one and only Madame Hydra. Obviously not the one and only, because one is still very dead in our storage locker. “Madame Hydra,” I return the courteous nod and give Fairfax a warning look. Wouldn’t want him to have another go at her, since this one seems more than willing to be a part of this.

“ _Viper_ , if you wouldn’t mind? Only my underlings have to call me Madame Hydra…you’re not my underling, are you, Captain?” she chuckles flirtatiously and what do you know? I could maybe, _possibly_ even like this one. Like her enough not to kill her for fun.

“No, I am not. Not your boss either, although I’d expect you – all of you – to follow my lead through this. I’m sure we can fashion a proper reward for you once the deed is done?” 

“A whole entire world to enslave? Sounds like a reward for me already,” Ultron muses.

“Most of these fellows were pretty bored where I found them,” Enchantress explains, her voice as deceptively sweet as I remember Madame Hydra’s to be. The Viper doesn’t seem to share this annoying feature though. Good. “Causing trouble here seemed to have been enough of an incentive. But I suppose a reward on top of it will…sweeten the deal as you Midgardians like to say. Speaking of rewards, I do hope you remember my terms of service to you, Captain?”

“I have no quarrel with Thor, nor any real use for him. As long as he’s out of the fight, he is all yours and everyone’s happy,” I raise a challenging eyebrow, daring her to somehow alter the deal.

“Good, it is settled then. Now, I have informed these upstanding citizens of other Midgards what you are planning to do, but as far as the battle plan goes, I shall leave the explaining to you, darlings,” she winks at Loki and disappears in a whirlpool of her long dress and cape through the door.

“ _Must_ we deal with her?” Loki grimaces distastefully, eyes pinned on the now closed doors.

“Problem?” I ask, amused.

“Oh, Captain. Where this woman goes, trouble follows. We should get rid of her before it starts following us.”

“Your concern’s noted. I believe we have a battle plan to go over now, don’t we?” I say to everyone present, gesturing for everyone to take a seat.

It’ll be a long night.

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

 

I should have known evacuating one of the largest cities in the world “quietly” would be just as difficult as it sounds. But with the whole team working in perfect sync together to make the process as smooth as possible, it might just be done in time. Fury also unleashed his agents to oversee everything and even use the helicarrier to ease the pressure off the highways. He wasn’t very happy that his beloved flying platform has turned into a public transporter – again – but let’s just say that once the Soldier told him he will fly more people out of the city with his newly acquired airline than him and his helicarrier, the challenge was on.

The two are now shamelessly racing to have the highest headcount, but even I can tell it’s just a front. Both Fury and the Soldier are taking this dead seriously. Them competing is just their way of breaking the tense atmosphere a bit.

And so, just after two days, the bustling city pretty much turns into a ghost town with only a few more blocks to go. It’s damn scary.

“Thor? How’s it looking down there?”

“ _These upstanding young citizens are being rather difficult_ ,” the demi-god answers me and sounds royally annoyed. I feel kinda sorry for sending him and T’Challa clear out the drug den now.

“Keep me posted. Wanda? How’s the airport?”

“ _We have three departures ready and more people are waiting for a seat, but…we are running short on planes_.”

“Is that so? Sooooldieeeer?” I call the AI longingly.

“ _Two birds are on their way back, five more are refueling. ETA three hours_.”

“ _Ah, is that trouble I hear_?” Fury comes in, of course listening in on the triple secured, triple encrypted channel non-stop. “ _Maybe you need old Nick to give ya a hand, Soldier. The helicarrier will be at the airport in twenty minutes, Miss Maximoff_.”

“ _Roger that_ ,” Wanda replies.

The Soldier grumbles something through the comm as well and I feel like he’s about to hack the helicarrier in order to stop it from arriving before his planes. But I’m sure he’ll just settle for sabotaging Fury’s toilet instead.

“Okay, what about the train station, Nat?”

“ _Almost done here. Last train leaving in ten minutes. You guys better not be sending anyone else our way_.”

“Don’t worry, everything’s redirected to the airport. Right, Tony?”

“ _Oh ya sure ye betcha, Captain Winter. Sending everyone there. I really hate to admit this, but Agent Agent is doing a pretty good job_ ,” Tony says is sheer disbelieve.

“ _Why thank you, Tony. You always know what to say_ ,” Coulson chuckles in return. I do have to agree with Tony on this though. Agent can wrestle some mean control over not just the SHIELD agents but the army and the police. He would have no doubt handled the politicians as well, but after Pepper stormed the UN, all but grounded whoever dared talk over her and got a warrant for all this in just about thirty minutes, there was no need for his service there.

“He missed you, just won’t admit it,” I tease them.

“ _Lies. Clint! Get everyone a bird-view of the Winter Captain so they can see his pants on fire_!”

“Whoa now, _Man Iron_ , no need to traumatize the kids.”

“ _Yeah, seriously, man_ ,” Clint agrees.

“ _Pfft, whatever_ ,” Tony scoffs right as he flies by the Tower – and me.

So far so good. New York might officially have population of less than a hundred by this evening.

“Rumlow? Anything to report on the perimeter?”

“ _It’s quiet. The perimeter, definitely not_ this _guy_ ,” he complains. No surprise there, Wade can talk a deaf fella into a migraine even if most of the time he’s just talking to himself. It was Tony’s idea to sick the two of them together even if Wade numerously reminded him that he ain’t joining us. At all. Just helping out a friend. And talking him into an early coma.

“Swell. Rhodey?”

“ _All good here_.”

“ _All is good here too, not that anyone would ask me_ ,” a voice comes in and my blood freezes.

“FRIDAY?” I whisper into the air.

“ _The Tower is clear, boss. The chatter is coming from around Central Park_.”

“ _I love the scenery. You should come check it out_.”

“Switch us, Fry,” I command breathlessly and am half-way across the roof in the direction of the park.

“ _Alternative frequency is on for the entire team. It is secure for now_.”

I take a deep, calming breath and stop right at the edge. “You’ve heard it, guys. The party’s here.”

“ _We’re doubling it back to the Tower and then the park. Agent can handle the rest of the evac_ ,” Tony announces.

“No! Continue with the evac! Eyes in the sky, let me know if you can get us vision on Central Park, see how many tangos we are dealing with.”

There’s an unnerving moment of silence before Rumlow answers.

“ _I don’t think we need to go lookin’, Captain_.”

“ _We’ve got tangos at our positions_ ,” Clint explains, the others agreeing succinctly.

Leave it to a god damn Asgardian witch to take us by surprise. Or so she would think. We expected as much, after everything Thor told us about her. Time to execute plan B then. “Stick together, let Fry know if you need help. We trained for this guys. We are ready for this. Agent Coulson, see to the evac. We’ll try to steer all the attention to us and away from the remaining civilians.”

“ _Don’t worry about us, Captain. Me and agent Hill will make sure that any stray supervillains are introduced to the fabled SHIELD hospitalit_ y.”

“Thank you. Good luck, everyone. Fry, put me back through…to Rogers,” I instruct her, while using the descending mechanic Tony installed a couple days ago on the roof, to get down to the street. “I see you’ve invited friends. Not that you are capable of having those, so let’s cut straight to it. We’re on the way.”

“ _Yeah, you might wanna give me a minute here_ ,” Tony answers instead, stopping me in my advance towards the park.

“What’s wrong?”

“ _Oh, nothing. Don’t worry. Just…a certain homicidal part of the metal gang that should be already, rightfully dead decided it’d be a good idea to visit daddy right now. I’ll have some quality family time with him and be right there. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m at it_.”

“That’s my line, dummy,” I retort and resume my run.

He sounds confident – it’s Tony after all – but a homicidal part of the metal gang can only be one person. And I sure hope he can take him on.

“ _Don’t call me dummy, you…you. See you a in a sec_ ,” he adds quietly.

“You better.”

FRIDAY cuts the feed to let everyone focus on whoever it is they are about to face down and I can only hope I am ready to face the one person I never expected to have to face in a fight like this.

To the end of the line. The end of his line, preferably.

 

 

 

 


	8. Protect or perish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is fighting their separate battles; the Soldier is on a mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sunday once again dawns upon us along with the promised update ^^ I warned you things are about to escalate and here it begins :3 Hope you missed the Soldier's POV, because it's making a comeback <3
> 
> How are the Avengers ever going to defeat all these old and new foes? Find out next, on Dragonb..I mean uh...next Sunday. Maybe :D If anyone survives this chapter....mwuheh :D
> 
> Happy reading ~

**_xxxBrockRumlowxxx_ **

 

“I did _not_ sign up for this shit,” I utter, dodging a toothpick. This asshole wants to kill me with a fucking toothpick!

“You did, actually. Me, I should probably just leave you to it now that – owwww! Maaan, seriously?!” Wade curses, ripping the toothpick that buried itself into his ass out. “ _Why can’t weeee be friends, why can we be frieeends_ , Lester!”

The assassin for hire ceases the toothpick fire for a moment and shrugs. “I dunno, Wade. Maybe because that one time you wanted to befriend me, you almost speared me through and through with those damned katanas of yours.”

“Oh…that’s right. I wanted to make a bull’s roast!” he explains wiggling his nonexistent eyebrows underneath the mask.

Lester, better known as Bullseye, takes that personally of course and resumes his fire, adding some real sharp pencils into the fray. This shithead is the most arrogant dude I’ve ever met…but they don’t call him Bullseye for nothing. Dodging his deadly aimed utensils ain’t easy. But it’s me and unkillable god damn Wade, surely we can take one objectively deadly assassin on.   

We dance around each other for a while, Lester showering us with whatever sharp objects he’s got in his disposal and us trying to both dodge and advance into melee range.

That is until Wade fails to dodge an unseen dart that was most definitely not hurled by the assassin.

“What the…heeeeeeell?” he slurs while taking the dart out of his shoulder.

I don’t have time to give a shit about his well-being because I have to move out of the way of another two darts aimed at my position from somewhere behind us. I roll over on the ground, blocking Lester’s sharpened paper-crane – I really hate this guy – and making the two darts harmlessly hit the grass. Using Wade as cover, because why the hell not, I turn my back to Bullseye to search for our second foe. I have to squint at the brush to make out the figure since it’s wearing a green outfit that merges perfectly within this piece of grassland.

I don’t have to squint too hard to recognize the figure though. I’m gonna murder Rogers twice for this. In the worst possible way I can think of.

“I told you I can handle these on my own!” Lester complains and even shoots a warning pencil her way.

Madame Hydra, in all her very much alive glory steps outside of the shrubbery, a small dart gun in one hand and smirks. “I grew tired of this little dance of yours. Besides, you can’t kill this one,” she points the gun at Wade.

“Sure as hell can disable him though,” he retorts and throws some more of his arsenal at the now stumbling Wade.

Of fucking course Rogers would send some fake out-of-this-world version of my…boss to haunt me as well as kill me. She’s even wearing the Viper get-up I’ve only ever seen her wear once a couple of years ago. HYDRA was a bit unstable at the time – in other words, it was in a total shithole thanks to the Avengers becoming a thing – so a couple ambitious assholes thought it would be fun to struggle for power. Too bad they chose to fuck with _her_ of all people.

Big mistake. She wore that costume – which I thought was ridiculous at the time – instead of her usual posh dresses and suits and in about an hour, she leveled the rebellious bastards’ base with the ground. I didn’t know whether to be scared shitless or amazed. Settled for a bit of both and decided never to make that same mistake as those poor dudes did.

Rogers made that mistake now and even thought it’d be fun to throw this…this…imposter in my face to taunt me. Well, I’ve got news for him. When I’m done here, I will introduce him to every single torture technique I’ve ever learnt or witnessed.

“Hey fuckface, you deal with her and I’ll chase this cocky piece of shit outta here,” I tell Wade and without waiting for a reply from the silently swearing pool of death, I bolt around him and straight at the grinning Bullseye.

Imposter or whatever, she’s the one person I can’t kill. Can’t defeat, can’t fight…so I won’t.

 

**_xxxTheSoldierxxx_ **

 

It’s times like these the Soldier wishes he still had a body. He understands _he_ in fact never had one, because technically he is not the Soldier that was once a part of one James Buchanan Barnes. Not exactly. But he has decided not to dwell on technicalities.

He could _really_ use a body right _now_. Rogers is right here! Almost within his grasp! He might only be the creepy presence haunting the city’s CCTV cameras – damn FRIDAY’s words – but seeing the devil of a man casually standing in that park just few feet away from the camera he’s currently using to monitor the situation feels so…unfair. He could be beating him to the ground, but he can’t.

What can he even do? Other than watch…

The options aren’t as limited as one would think. He could easily take control of one of Tony’s suits and blast his way into the fray. But Tony specifically forbade him from doing so:

_“No matter what happens, promise me you won’t do that, alright? I’m serious, Soldier. I know you wanna join the fight because that’s your primary nature but don’t. We need you right where you are. I need you right where you are, monitoring the situation, keeping the Tower safe. Keeping lil’ FRIDAY safe,” Tony told him few days ago._

_“How am I the little one in this? He is the younger one,” FRIDAY argued._

_“Uh, nope. He’s like eighty years old. Respect your elders, Fry. And Soldier? I’m counting on you. I’m counting on you to keep the metal gang safe so I don’t have to worry while we’re out there.”_

It was a mission. From Tony. Who trusted him to carry it out. The Soldier wasn’t about to fail such mission, no matter his…feelings. Impulses. Whatever it was that made him want to pound the blond man in front of him into the ground. Repeatedly. With no remorse or mercy.

But the mission came first.

So he is doing as he was told. Observing the situation, keeping track of enemies, monitoring SHIELD and their final evac efforts.

His initial analysis tells him that Captain Hydra’s plan is simple – divide and conquer. He procured a set of enemies for all the Avengers to fight separately, likely hoping to break the team into smaller, unorganized teams. Too bad that’s exactly what they had been training for so this tactic won't be as viable as the HYDRA overlord would think.

The problem is who he procured to fight them.

Steve wasn’t alone waiting for Bucky to arrive – Soldier recognized the other man as Red Skull, a former HYDRA leader that died during second World War. In this world anyway. That means he plans on double-teaming Bucky while Tony is busy with Ultron.

Unacceptable. Reinforcement is needed.

The Soldier scans his options through the CCTV.

So far, Tony is holding his own against the intimidating robot, but is nowhere near defeating him. Knowing how busy FRIDAY is assisting him in the fight, the Soldier can tell it won’t be easy.

On the outskirts of the town, Rumlow and Wilson are fighting one enemy each – Bullseye, a dangerous mercenary the Soldier only knows from the few encounters SHIELD had with the man in the past; and if he’s correct, the second is a strange different version of Madame Hydra. Here the Soldier is a bit concerned about the outcome, seeing that Bullseye is clearly toying with the former HYDRA agent and Madame Hydra seems to be on her way to defeat an immortal man. He must keep a close eye on this fight, because if the HYDRA operatives win, they will then become reinforcements for the rest. Also unacceptable.

Thor and T’Challa are so far having a simple conversation with their foes – Loki and the Enchantress. If a battle commences here, the Soldier feels like he cannot even fathom how it’s going to progress, let alone end. Asgardian magic is beyond his understanding.

“ _We have a problem here_ ,” Black Widow’s voice reaches him through the channel reserved for emergencies that goes to him directly.

The Soldier quickly finds their current position and gains control of all nearby cameras to watch. A _problem_ is an understatement. Of all the possible enemies team Spider could be facing, it’s the Hulk. And what appears to be another Black Widow.

Spiderman is keeping the Hulk quite occupied and from what the Soldier can tell, he even seems to be enjoying the fight. It’s the swarm of discount HYDRA agents with the enemy Widow that are in the meantime pursuing their Black Widow.

“Mister Banner, you are needed at team Spider position. We have an enemy Hulk at large,” the Soldier speaks to Banner directly, knowing that him and Colonel Rhodes are near Brooklyn fighting off the other swarm of HYDRA agents. The directions were that Banner should not turn green until the evac is complete, but considering the situation it must be done now. There are no civilians at the area anymore so it shouldn’t be too much of a risk.

“ _I will handle the HYDRA for a while, you give him a lift, Colonel_ ,” agent Hill tells Rhodes and moments later, the Iron Patriot is flying one slowly angrier and angrier Doctor Banner towards his evil counterpart while SHIELD takes over the HYDRA control.

“Reinforcements are on the way,” he quickly informs Widow and moves over to the position of team Wicked Vision.

The Soldier can’t quite describe what is happening there. Two Scarlett Witches in one place is too much for him to comprehend. And Vision fighting yet another person that is supposed to be dead in this world – Pietro Maximoff – is also a sight to behold. Mainly because unlike the other teams, here they aren’t really fighting separately. The enemy Maximoffs’ are in absolute sync and are targeting both Vision and the Witch at once. They are standing their ground for now, but judging from their Witch’s hesitance to attack the evil twin brother, they might have a problem here soon.

Another fight to check up on regularly. Speaking of which, the Soldier pulls back to search for team Fucked-faces, surprisingly their own endorsed nickname. How was an immortal ninja person losing against a no-powers woman wearing a ridiculous outfit was beyond the Soldier. Almost a mile away already, Bullseye was still being chased by Rumlow, who obviously wanted to get into range to use his superior hand to hand combat against the long-range mercenary. Not working out so well, judging from the numerous wounds he has received from the sniper.

The Soldier was out of time.

Bucky already made it to the park and there was no conversation to be had there. A fight broke out instantly, meaning the reinforcement has to come in _now_. The only team left is the Bird team, currently engaged in a fight with more dead-now-alive HYDRA leaders – Strucker and Zemo. And for a change, they look like they are winning against their foes and could possibly be free in some time, but time is what Bucky might not have.

That leaves the Soldier with the last resort option.

“Miss Potts, I need you to assist Captain Winter in Central Park immediately. He is currently fighting both Captain Hydra and the Red Skull and - ”

“Soldier? You had me at Captain Hydra, I’m on my way! I’ll break that bastard’s face so hard…,” she interrupts him and continues to describe all she’s about to do to Rogers in a mumble.

The Soldier approves.

Tony might not approve of sending her there, but if the Soldier has learnt anything, it’s the fact that there is no force in the universe capable of stopping Pepper Potts once she sets her mind to something. No matter how much Tony wouldn’t agree.

Within minutes, Miss Potts storms the Park and joins Bucky in the fight. Soldier notices that Captain Hydra is somewhat…bare without the vibranium shield. And looks mighty irked about seeing Bucky wield it so effortlessly. Good, very good. He hopes Bucky gets to smash it in his face soon. But so far, most of the fighting is done by the Red Skull, Rogers being more on the defensive, especially now that Miss Potts has joined in.

The Soldier is about to do yet another regular check of the battles to update himself on the so far progress, but that’s when he feels it.

A presence.

Dangerous. Cruel. _Evil_. And it was right there. Not with him, but…

“FRIDAY?” he inquires for only her to hear, all the while trying to stay hidden from the malicious intruder crawling through their servers so far only focused on FRIDAY.

He wasn’t there when their version of Ultron attacked the Tower. But he knows what the aftermath was. He is not letting the history repeat itself.

FRIDAY isn’t responding because she can’t. She is trying with all her programmed being to fight off Ultron, prevent him from swallowing her whole and thus compromising the Tower and most importantly, Tony’s suit – all of his suits. The Soldier took precautions, set up firewalls and blockades of restrictive code that are now hindering Ultron in his attempts but it’s not enough to hold him off forever.

Ultron cannot be given control. Cannot be allowed to spread.  

This is his mission. Protect the Tower. Protect the metal gang. Protect FRIDAY.

He will stop Ultron even if it means his own demise. So he activates the full wave of restrictive firewalls in order to isolate Ultron right where he is and dives into the invisible fight with the fierceness and determination he likes to believe are not only the real Soldier’s but now his own.

 


	9. A Hard-Knock Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultron meets the Soldier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um...so uh...it's sunny outside, right? There's that big shiny thing up in the sky...the sun...so one could say it's a very uh...sunny day, yeah? Like...sun and day. Sunday? Right? It's sunday, right? *changes into Ultron* RIGHT?!! A simple nod will suffice, yes. Very good. It's Sunday.  
> And here's the new chapter! ^^ Not that I uh...accidentally saved it without posting or anything. And then promptly fell asleep on my desk...should teach me not to upload so late at night on god damn Sunday. I mean! Saturday! Because it's Sunday right now...yeah...is it not? *Ultron mode intesifies*
> 
> Enjoy this very Ultron-ey chapter! <3 Or is it? :3

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

“Anytime now, FRIDAY!” I yell at the barely responsive AI, while trying to retain as much control over the armor as possible. Repulsors barely working, weapon systems out, mobility…pretty bad. We were expecting a lot, but I admit I most definitely wasn’t expecting Ultron to make a reappearance. Would have otherwise spent an entire day Ultron-proofing everything. As it is, both me and Fry are now left to work with what little defenses we’ve got.

“No need to struggle, I’m already everywhere I need to be…right at the core,” he slowly says, flying around my retreating form to cross my path again.

“Well how about you fuck off outta there?!” I reply harshly, but it comes out weak. “FRIDAY talk to me, girl.”

“She is quite busy,” he corners me against the wall, his intimidating large figure towering over me. “As your teammates are going to be once I take over those armors of yours and take them for a spin,” he laughs and moves to grab me.

That’s where VERONICA smashes into him and it was about damn time. I may not be able to wear the superior armor right now, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t improvise with it.

Ultron doesn’t however seem fazed by the annoyingly large piece of condensed armor mass continuously slamming onto him and eventually just grabs onto it and hurls it away. He’s made of vibranium, this is so not fair!

“Enough!” he yells and looks ready to do to me, what VERONICA was doing to him just seconds ago, but he stills instead.

For the tensest one minute of this entire fight, I am left waiting for his next move, but he makes none.

“What the hell?” I mumble after another minute or so and he jerks, alerting to my voice.

He brings up his metal hands, studying them with unadulterated curiosity as if he’s never seen a pair of hands as interesting as his own. “Fascinating,” he whispers and it sounds…weird. Out of place, even.

“ _Rebooting all essential systems, boss_ ,” FRIDAY speaks and hallelujah for that. “ _We’ll be fully operational in five minutes_.”

“Make it two minutes and what the actual f- ” I stare speechless at Ultron…who now jumps up and down in almost a little childish dance of sorts, while madly grinning. “What did you do to him, Fry?”

Ultron stops his theatrics and for a second I think I might have spoken too soon and he’s going to resume his murder attempt. “ _I_ killed him, what do you think I did?” he answers in what is absolutely NOT Ultron’s voice.

It takes me way too long to process this, because _WHAT THE FUCK?!_ “Soldier?!”

Ultron…Soldier…shrugs, losing the grin. “He was about to kill FRIDAY. So I killed him instead. Blocked all his ways out and before he knew what was happening, I ripped his code apart.”

I continue gaping at him, sliding my helmet off because I definitely am in need of some fresh air. “You did… _what_?!”

“ _He ninja-assassinated Ultron in the middle of our servers and then took over his body, boss_ ,” FRIDAY comes in with an explanation.

“Seemed like a waste of a perfectly good body. Not to mention reinforcements are needed,” he adds.

Right…the battle. “Okay, sure. Perfect. We’re gonna have the ‘taking over the world’ conversation later, Soldier. Do you still have CCTV access?”

“ _Better question would be where_ doesn’t _he have access_ ,” Fry specifies and I could swear she sounds almost…jealous? Great, now I’ll have to deal with envious AIs, too.

“Indeed. You’re welcome, by the way.”

FRIDAY doesn’t answer out loud, but whatever she says makes the Soldier chuckle.

“So…Central Park?” I suggest, worrying how Bucky’s doing on his own.

Soldier’s face hardens and he nods. “Let’s go.”

We take off in tandem, flying over the three blocks separating us from the park. Or fiery battlefield, I should say.

“Who sent Pepper in here?!” I squint at the Soldier, knowing the answer even before he innocently shrugs.

While Pepper is giving Rogers the lesson in defense of his life – and if his pissed off but focused expression is anything to go by, she’s got the upper hand - Bucky is trading punches with Red Skull.

“Assist Bucky,” the Soldier all but commands. “My fist has had Captain Hydra’s name on it for a looong time.”

Too long, I would know. “Go get him. We’ll finish off this antiquity and then come join you.”

He speeds ahead and doesn’t waste time introducing himself - he straight up slams into Rogers, sending them both yards away from now very confused Zemo, Pepper and Bucky.

“What was _that_?!” Pepper yells angrily as soon as I touch down next to Bucky.

“Have Ultron gone mad? What did you do to him?” Bucky asks at the same time, eyes not leaving the gawking red skull’d man.

“Me? Not much. Not even a dent, to be exact. The Soldier is a different story, though.”

“The Sol… _the Soldier_ took control of Ultron?” he blurts out.

“Just the body. He murdered Ultron in cold blood,” I over-exaggerate, or at least I hope I do, glancing at Pepper. “Team Wicked Vision could use a hand, Pep. We got it here.”

She looks disappointed, but nods and firestarts away in the direction FRIDAY gives her.

“Fancy meeting you here, Captain Winter,” I greet him sarcastically, but focusing on the now glaring Red Skull. “Mind if I have a piece of this one?”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Bucky smirks and readies his shield and metal arm.

“What? Not man enough to take me on alone?” the HYDRA leader grins dangerously.

“Says the guy who needed Rogers to hold his hand the first ten minutes of the fight,” Bucky scoffs.

“We are HYDRA,” he shrugs. “You can’t expect us to fight fair.”

“I was trained by HYDRA – can’t expect me to fight fair either,” he shrugs casually, making me chuckle.

“Oh, snap!” I flick a hand at the Skull. “Point for Captain Winter, Ladies and Gentlemen. Tough luck, Skullface,” I imitate Bucky’s innocent shrug and bolt at him, repulsors back in full action.

Bucky is close behind, shield already slicing through the air next to me.

The Skull dodges the shield expertly, while shooting at Bucky, taking advantage of his shieldless state.

Good strategy, for a one on one battle. But while he’s distracted with the shooting – which Bucky blocks with the hand, I catch the shield mid-air, throwing it somewhat awkwardly back at Bucky. Throwing it accurately is not as easy as it looks; a fact I’ve found early into our training together.

He catches it anyway and brings it up, but isn’t in range of the Skull yet. Time for the Mummy Mirror trick then!

I shoot the repulsors at the shield and the beam reflects perfectly dead-on at the Skull. It surprises him enough to get partly caught by the blast and has little to no time to dodge another beam straight from me, quickly followed by the shield again – both hitting him in the chest, throwing him away and on his back.

It is a bit unfair now that I think about it, but hey. We don’t have time to waste on a secondary villain here while the others are battling Loki, Hulk and the Enchantress. The sooner we get rid of this dude, the sooner we can go assist them. I can’t see the Soldier vs Captain Hydra fight, but judging from FRIDAY’s gleefully satisfied voice, I’d say the Soldier won’t need assistance anytime soon.

Bucky closes in on the Skull, forcing him into hand-to-hand combat. The Skull is a formidable opponent, but he picked the wrong fight.

I join in the close combat fray, showering the Skull with additional dose of metal. That’s three metal hands and a vibranium shield pummeling him every other second. He’s good…but not good enough to dodge or withstand such flurry of raw strength. Add a couple blinding flashes from the repulsors and the occasional beam and Red Skull is at his wit’s end.

Kneeling down, he eventually succumbs to the wounds and falls unconscious. That’s definitely not good enough though, so without mercy, Bucky brings up the shield and strikes down hard and true.

Can he grow his head back? Like the proper Hydra he is? Hell, I hope not. “Fry? Send clean-up in here. Incinerate this son of a bitch. And don’t let Dummy near the extinguisher while you’re at it.” There, better safe than sorry.

“ _With pleasure, boss_.”

“Soldier? We are done here, whatcha got for us next?”

“ _Team ThunderPanther is moving this way, involuntarily. The Asgardians are chasing them here, to join_ this _fucker, no doubt_.”

I roll my eyes at his use of profanity and exchange a look with Bucky.

“I will stay here then to meet the party with you, Soldier.”

“Not to sound mean, but how are _you_ gonna fight two Asgardian - ” I start, but he stops me with a defensive hand.

“I’m not. We need team WickedVision for that. What’s their status, Soldier?”

He pauses. “ _Not too good. But I don’t see how either of you could help there_.”

“Where _can_ we help, then?” I prompt him, starting to feel restless.

“ _Fury finally graced us with his and the Helicarrier’s presence, speeding the rest of the evac and fighting the scattered HYDRA forces, so that is taken care of._ _The Hulk is still on the large though. You could introduce him to VERONICA, perhaps_?”

“You do that, I’ll join the Soldier,” Bucky decides and moves towards where they flew off but I grab onto his metal forearm, letting my faceplate slide.  

“Look, don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do here,” I frown at him, accusation clear. “But you can’t keep him away from me for the entire fight.”

His face falls into a glare that I know isn’t aimed at me, not really. “Uh, yes I can. And I will. Preferably not just for the entire fight but _forever_.”

“ _I approve_ ,” the Soldier agrees. “We _approve_ ,” he adds, when Fry theatrically clears her metaphorical throat.

“Oh course you would,” I scoff, not letting go of Bucky. “Be careful, Bucky. Whatever endgame Rogers has…he hadn’t revealed it yet. And whenever Loki’s involved it’s…just ask Thor, alright? Nothing good ever comes out of it and I bet that when you add the magicky weirdo woman into the mix, it only gets worse and worse and - ”

He silences me the only way he knows how – with a kiss. Not that I’m complaining. Nah uh, never.

“And we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” he whispers against my lips. “Or in this case, when the bridge comes to us.”

“Right…okay,” I nod, pulling away and sliding the faceplate back into place. He doesn’t need to read the fact this is most definitely not right or okay right off my face. “I’ll go play with Bruce’s angry twin. Soldier? Keep me in the loop if anything happens…and I mean _anything_!”

“ _Of course_.”

I back away a couple steps and we exchange an understanding nod before each going our separate ways. For now.

      

 

 


	10. Winds of (mis)fortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some opponents are defeated, some are not...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Hope you're having a great Sunday...I'm not, because the Sun in the Sunday is really starting to piss me off with the heat. It hasn't rained here poperly in weeks and I really, really am a winter kinda person...I just went for a walk today and thought I'm gonna melt on the concrete, burst into flames and then join the whole steam - clouds - rain cycle. Someone send me some cold weather, pleeeeease :'D *melts away & moves to Canada instead*
> 
> Anyway, here's a chilly chapter to cool ourselves down a little :3 It may look all warm and fuzzy...but it's not ^^ Okay, so maybe it is...but I blame it on the impossible heat. I promise next chapter is gonna be stone cold, mwuhe :3 Get ready...
> 
> PS: Soundtrack is back, yay! Damn you youtube and your shenanigans.

**[>>>Chapter soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suwfJMiXauU&index=3&list=PLk09tmeXpLmDguQOycwSmBEhcCVR_rL4N) **

 

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

 

“Wow. Should I be terrified or…?” I comment, touching down next to Rhodey, who’s busy firing up HYDRA agents left and right. Discount HYDRA agents at that.

The real battle was commencing a dozen feet ahead, with some serious Widow on Widow action. Should be dirtier than it sounds, but it’s not. I think I’m really better off fighting a Hulk or two rather than getting in the middle of _that_.

“I hear ya. I’m staying the hell away too…that other ‘Tasha means business.”

“Looks like it. You okay here?”

“Yeah, go join the Hulk hunt, man.”

I snort, lifting off again, but not before blasting two or three agents out of the way just for good measure.

The difference between the two Widows was very obvious, the clothes, the hair. The two Hulks however…that was another story.

Big, green and angry. Both of them. As much as I love my cute, cuddly, science-bro Bruce, I have no idea which one of those two is him. Technically, they both are? Argh…this multiverse bullshit is starting to give me a headache.

As long as there’s no evil me…damn. That would be scary. And awesome. And weird…

“Spiderboy, how’s it going?”

“Ah! Mister Stark! It’s going great! But it’s really…hey, wait. What did you call me? For the last time, guys, seriously. It’s spider - ”

“ _Man_ , of course. My apologies,” I chuckle, observing the spiderling swing around, webbing both the Hulks down in the process.

This is gonna be a problem.

“Alright, Brucie. Come out, come out, wherever you are!” I yell at the raging green masses.

They pause the carnage in order to look my way and I’m hoping to see some kinda tell, a smile, maybe a spark of recognition…just something that would point me to my Bruce and for a second I’m afraid I won’t get it. But as they glare at me I spot it. Quick and subtle. A sizzle of red in one of the Hulks’s eyes.

Looks like the Wickedest Witch of the Alternate West has the Hulk under her spell. Not sure if that’s helpful information, but at least the mission to find my Brucie-bear is a success.    

“Fry, keep an eye on that one for daddy, will you?” I target the mind-controlled Hulk in the suite interface and FRIDAY keeps locked in on him even as they resume their brawl. “Cool. Spiderling, go help your big sister. Her evil twin is sputtering some major rude Russian endearments at her...as well as daggers.”

“Got it! I don’t know any Russian though. I can curse at her in ones and zeros!”

God I love this kid. In a very normal, parental, non-weird way of course. “Go get her!”

“ _VERONICA is en route, boss. The Soldier also wants you to know that team Winter Soldier is - and I quote – about to fuck Rogers’s shit up_.”

Winter Soldier is back, huh. Lovely. “The Soldier has to stop hanging out with Bird team, they’re corrupting his vocabulary.”

“ _Those were Captain Winter’s words_.”

“Oh…well, that corruption is all me,” I grin, all the while searching for an opening in the Angry Green battle. Gotta give it up for Bruce though, he’s schooling the evil cuddle monster pretty hard. He even looks more furious than usual. If that’s even possible.

VERONICA flies in, looking in good enough shape even after the pounding she gave Ultron – and vice versa. It assembles around me and I observe the fight even closer to see where I can come in. It’ one thing to intercept the other Hulk, but I sure don’t wanna get in the way of _our_ Hulk’s deadly fists.

Huh. There’s a thought.

“Hey, big guy! How about we play a little, hm? Just like the Smash bros we are?” I get both their attention, but only our Hulk understands the reference.

“SMASH!” He agrees with a mad grin and hurls the evil Hulk my way.

It takes all of VERONICA’s superior armor strength to stop the Hulk mid-air and bring him to the ground.

“Alright, let’s blow off some steam shall we, evil-Hulkie?”

I let VERONICA do her thing for a while, the Hulk more than a little confused by this hunk of an armor whupping his ass and when it seems he’s about to get his bearings, I grab onto him and pass him right back at our Hulk.

He’s waiting pretty much with arms wide open and the grin just as wide. It should really be scary to see the Hulk having fun…scary for all the bad guys.

“ _Bird team is done with Strucker and Zemo, Falcon is going to drop Hawkeye here and resume overwatch_ ,” Fry informs me of what sounds like Soldier’s tactical update.

“Awesome, send Clint to - ”

“ _Rhodes, yes. Also…there might be a problem with team Fucked faces. Deadpool is unresponsive, according to the Soldier he is alive but disabled. As for Crossbones, he is nowhere to be found, likely outside of any CCTV vision. He was chasing this Bullseye persona for quite some time…wasn’t really doing too good_.”

Crap. Who the hell downed Wade?! And if Rumlow gets his ass shot down before he can even get close to serving a punch or two on Captain Hydra as he wished, well…he’ll be really disappointed.

He’s got enough of a motivation to stay alive just to deliver those punches. I suppose…the whole Madame Hydra and him thing is…I don’t know what it is. It’s not like he told us his life story, we don’t know anything about him. About them.

But hell…boss, friend...lover? Or just someone he admired? Whatever. If Rogers sent me a picture of the exact fucked up way he dispatched someone I cared about from this world, I would join the devil too if it meant I could get a chance at revenge.

So in that way, I can understand Rumlow’s point of view completely. We all kinda do. Jeez…I wonder if there’s a universe out there where I find myself sympathizing with a HYDRA agent. Former, but still.

“Alright, Fry. Send someone to get Wade to safety and let me know if Rumlow resurfaces somewhere. And…if he needs help or whatever, just send someone in there, okay?” Damn, I’m getting soft.

“ _Of course, boss_.”

I focus back on my and Hulk’s game of sorts and spend a few more moments passing the evil Hulk between us, taking turns at trying to pacify him. It doesn’t seem very effective, even if he is clearly wearing himself off. It’s Wanda’s magic that keeps him going no matter how exhausted or hurt he is.

Shit.

Gotta admit I feel pretty bad for the ‘evil’ Hulk. Wouldn’t want our Bruce to be harassed this kinda way either.

However, round or two later, our Hulk smashes the other into the concrete and he doesn’t stand back up, just groans and keeps on exhaling deeply.

“HULK WIN!”

“Yeah, big guy, well done. You win.”

But how? I fly over to inspect the heaving enemy Hulk and pause.

His eyes are back to normal. No angry red sizzle occupies them.

And that can only mean two things. Either the enemy witch can’t concentrate on keeping the spell on…or she just doesn’t have any strength left to continue it.

Whichever the case –

“ _Watch out_!” FRIDAY warns me and I automatically touchdown and duck behind a large piece of debris.

For a second I don’t see or hear anything that would trigger Fry’s alarm bells, but suddenly the wind picks up, carrying over dust and even rocks.

And when I say wind…it’s red, violent, almost electrical. It’s the witch’s power but…it makes no sense.

“Fry, what in seven hells is going on down in the WickedVision battle?!” I yell unnecessarily over the out of control scarlet storm. “Fry? FRIDAY!”

I try telling myself that her unresponsiveness just has something to do with the interference, but I know better. The systems are working just fine which means FRIDAY is working just fine. So she just doesn’t want to answer.

What _is_ going on down there?!

 

 

**_xxxBrockRumlowxxx_ **

 

 

“Funny. I always thought you to be a guy who likes an audience,” I chuckle through the panting, taking a brief cover behind a corner of some rundown building.

“Really? What for?” Bullseye asks, taking the occasional break to switch weapons. As if toothpicks weren’t enough, he even has a stash of sharpened cotton swabs, beef jerky and fucking peanuts.

“Killing me? You chased me all the way here…there’s no CCTV around, so I guess you don’t want anyone watching you take me down.”

He laughs, but stops abruptly. “Hey, how do you know there’s not CCTV here? No way you’ve been hanging around the back alley over there for…ya know.”

“Uh, no. You sick fuck!”

“Back atcha!”

If I could only get close…but I can’t. And I’m running out of time.

“Listen, asshole! You’re not the one I wanna fuck up, alright? And why are you even here? Captain Hydra paying you some sweet cash to get chased by dudes around town?”

“Yeah…got a problem with that, Crossbones?”

“No. But maybe you could go get chased by someone else and let me go do what I came here to do!”

Bullseye once again ceases fire. “That would require you to overpay Captain Hydra. And he paid a _lot_. And even if you had that kind of money…well, I’m a mercenary and even we have standards, you know? It’s not personal, but I’m fighting on this side right now and you’re not. So, you see my dilemma here.”

“Dude, I understand I mean, look at who I’m fighting alongside with. You know me…and here I am. It’s not personal either. Not with you at least.” Not yet, toothpick-throwing asshole. Just…

“Ah, that’s good to hear.” A little… “I will sleep easier then, after this.” Closer…

Bullseye is quick. But so am I, if I really wanna be. And I _really_ wanna be. So he’s a little caught off guard by the sudden gunshot that shatters the gigantic third floor window of the building he’s standing next to.   

He cowers and dodges out of the way of the falling glass, which is enough time for me break all the sprint records and finally close in on the guy.

“Okay! We’re done playing!” he yells and before I can kick him where he lays, he shoots something sparkling at me, like dust but it flashes a couple times, blinding me in the process.

He _is_ done playing. Because that’s not a toothpick or a cotton swab or whatever funny shit he kept pulling out of his pockets, but a legit dagger digging into my stomach and another in my leg.

I stumble sideways, hoping to dodge any more flying knives, but since I can’t see, I just collide with something metallic on the side of the road…a lamppost? And instead crumble to the ground.

This is so not how it’s gonna end…this fight, or me. I’m not done yet.

“You are _so_ done!” A light chuckle rings through the slowly dissipating darkness and this shit day just keeps getting worse.

“Hit the road, Viper. You’re not needed here. Me and Bonnie are about to finish things up.”

“Only Wade gets to call me that…Bullsballs.” I admit that was kinda lame comeback. But under the circumstances I’m surprised I even thought of one at all. My vision slowly clears, as if my body wanted to mock me till the end. So I could see this smirking asshat picking his final murder weapon and…her. Some strange, out of this world version of… _her_.

Maybe it won’t be all that bad…I guess…

“Or you can watch, if you’re into that kinda thing,” he tells her and stomps on my arm when I try crawling away.

“Not exactly. I’m a woman of action. So I prefer deed before words or…observations.”

“Yeah, Dickeye. Why don’t you let the lady kill me, be a gentleman and all that.”

“Uh, how about no? I wore you down, I backed you into a corner and now, now you’re mine to kill,” he whispers, all traces of smirks and smiles gone.  

“Then get on with it! I’ve got plenty of company in hell waiting! I’ll kick Rogers’s face in when the Avengers send him there later…”

Guess I can settle for a compromise. Since I suck ass and can’t even beat one shit mercenary douche.

“Sounds like you’ve got a plan,” Bullseye nods and at least has the courtesy to fish out a proper knife out of his pocket to finish me off with. ‘Killed by a motherfucking toothpick’ would look really dumb on a headstone.

He aims and gets ready to throw, all the while I stare him right in the eyes – that way, he’ll remember. He’s a sick bastard so he would probably remember anyway but…oh fuck it…

Just get it over with.

But he doesn’t. He just…freezes?

“The fuck? You getting cold feet or what?”

He just keeps on staring, his focused expression frozen on his face, his body just as well. And then I see it. The slowly creeping unnaturally blue-ish color rising from the side of his neck up his face. Like ice building up on glass when it’s freezing outside.

Poison. I _know_ that poison. I fucking made that poison.

Bullseye falls to the ground in a heap of unmoving limbs and I don’t need to go check on him to know he’s dead. Very, _very_ dead.

“Rude. Call me old-fashioned, but ladies do get to kill first, wouldn’t you agree?”

I gape at the woman, now curiously looking down at what remains of the deadly mercenary.

“What the f - ”

“How was it?” she asks out of the blue.

“Wha?” Is all I manage through the confusion and on-set of shock.

“The dead pic. From the Captain. Was it believable? Horrifying? Gruesome? Would it score some likes on the deep web?”

“I…don’t…”

She steps closer, shoves the dead, blue body out of the way with her high-heel foot and crouches next to me. “Get a grip, Brock,” she shakes her head and without a warning pulls both the knives out from my body. “You think some schmuck that calls himself _Fairfax_ could have his way with me and get away with it… _alive_?” She scoffs and removes the emerald mask from her face, revealing the colorful, healing bruises.

My eyes widen at the realization of what this means.

“Do you think so little of me? After all these years?” she asks, but it’s not accusing or disappointed. But playful. It’s always playful.

It’s her. This is her. She’s alive. She’s here. Alive. Not dead. That’s what alive means…am I delirious?!

“I fake my own death, then kill some fake out of this world hoe with my clothes on, then poison half of Captain Hydra’s entourage, play with Wade a little – just like old times - and even have to come kill this upstanding assassin. All by myself. Are you planning on joining the fray anytime soon or is it ‘let the boss do all the work’ day today? Are you even list - ”

I’m either getting old or it’s the adrenalin and bloodloss but instead of answering I just fall forward, encircling my slightly shaking hands around the emerald-clad woman.

Am I going soft? I so blame that shit on Stark…then again. She does prefer deeds. We both do.

She places a steady hand on my back and runs the other through what’s left of my hair as if I was some fluffy fucking…nevermind. It’s nice.

“I couldn’t send a message out t - ”

“I know.”

“I wanted to get rid of Lester sooner but he was always on guard - ”

“I _know_. I’ll live, for fuck’s sake, woman…”

She stops the soothing movement and I wonder if I’ve just overstepped or something. But she just shifts and whispers a gentle “You better”, her lip tingling my ear.

With that she stands up and browses through her poisonous arsenal. “We should move back into the central city. Get in contact with the Avengers, find out what the status of the fight is. Bullseye is a lower tier enemy from what I’ve gathered…they will need help. Ah, here.”

She doesn’t bother loading her gun with the dart she’s just found, instead jabs it right into my neck.

I sigh in relief, letting the good kinda poison do its work with my battered body. She is right of course. We are not done here yet.

Alive or not, Captain Hydra still has an appointment with my knuckles. Oh and that Fairfax person better be still alive somewhere. I have some things in mind for him as well.

Shouldn’t keep them waiting.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That third song is now officially my Madame Hy - I mean, the Viper's - anthem. Did I mention the Viper/MH is one of my favorite non-superpowered villains? Well, now you know :3 
> 
> And yay! She's back...what a happy moment...*sigh* Happy...you know what that means, right... *walks away whistling*


	11. How rare & beautiful it is (that we exist)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle is over and the war has lost its meaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Sunday...how I love and hate you right now. Hi everyone! This week on OHHAAT, you are going to be in need of some anti-shock blankets and I am going to need a good place to hide for a week. Or two...or three. Yup. If you think this chapter is bad, you just wait...now, where do I hide...
> 
> The title of this chapter is from the magnificent song by Sleeping at last - Sturn, which by the way is probably my favorite strrangely angsty but at the same time nostalgic, longing sad but also...happy?....???? :D song of all times. and just happens to be part of the chapter's soundtrack as well. In case you were doubtful about all the emotions that are gonna be running rampant from now on, let me tell you now that I've decided to include this damn song, the angst ride to the final destination of this fic is officially about to begin! <3

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSqfbgvXqU0&list=PLk09tmeXpLmCTq_5SQiLre-Lzm55UX7vM&index=1) _ **

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

 

I take cover behind a half destroyed tree, covering behind the shield with the Soldier towering over me completely unfazed as the scarlet storm rages through the park and by the looks of it, the whole city.

“Looks like _that_ battle is over!” Rogers yells over the winds, his glee apparent in the way he keeps on smirking.

It is an unbelievable sight, one that challenges the memory of my entire childhood. It’s as if I have never known Steve Rogers at all. The skinny petite boy who picked fights he could never win, standing up to bullies and all those that would mean harm to others.

It’s like he never existed. Like he was a lie, a disguise to hide this twisted, dark-hearted man that has no regards for anybody but himself and his selfish vision.

He’s been like a brother to me. A man I would follow to the end of the world and beyond. Kill for…die for. And I did, in a way.

But that was for Steve Rogers, the little boy from Brooklyn who loved to sketch on thrown-away newspapers with a piece of charcoal.

The man in front of them is Captain Hydra. And I have nothing to say to him. Nothing to argue about. I have nothing for him. Nothing but death.

So I must not see and think of him as Steve Rogers, the boy I used to know. Otherwise I would hesitate. And I can’t afford that.

Not when so much is at stake.

“Soldier, what’s happening out there?” I ask the now full-bodied version of the AI, who looks even more intimidating than Ultron’s ever had, if the footage I’ve seen of the robot is anything to go by.

“The enemy witch and her brother are defeated,” he replies, but for such good news his voice lacks all and any happiness. It’s flat, neutral…controlled.

“That’s not what I’m asking, Soldier! What happened?!”

The raging storm subsides, restoring the calmness of the sunny afternoon and the Soldier merely glances at me with no expression at all. And no answer.

“Well, wasn’t that nice and tingly,” comes a new voice as the Asgardian party walks up behind Captain Hydra, just as the Soldier said they would.

Thor and T’Challa appear to our left, momentarily halting at the sight of who they believe is Ultron.

“It’s the Soldier…long story,” I tell them, standing up to face the newcomers.

“I see,” Thor frowns at the Soldier’s back, while T’Challa takes a defensive stance next to me.

“They gave you any trouble?”

“Not yet, Captain,” T’Challa replies. “The woman had a lot to say to Thor, though.”

The demi-god cringes and I have to wonder what was it that she had to say to make him looks so uncomfortable.

“Looks like your plan isn’t working out too well,” Loki smirks at Rogers, who is not amused in the least.

Supersoldier or not, the beating the Soldier and I unleashed on him before all hell broke loose was enough to leave him bruised and battered, the black and crimson uniform he now chose to wear with HYDRA’s insignia on it is torn and dirty. He wouldn’t have lasted long against us…if we only had more time.

“Why don’t you start helping then, oh mighty Loki?” he snarls at the Asgardian, who in turn just chuckles.

“Wouldn’t want to overshadow you, oh mighty Captain,” he replies in kind and looks straight at me. “Speaking of Captains, I believe we haven’t met yet, Captain Winter, although I have heard a lot about you.”

I don’t care one bit for his attitude, but a little small talk won’t hurt now that we need time to regroup. “As have I. The Hulk is very fond of you I hear,” I grin at him, knowing that will surely bring back memories.

Judging by his fading smirk, it really does.

“Enough of this!” The Enchantress interrupts the moment, stepping in front of both Rogers and Loki. “I have not come here for your pesky Midgardian squabbles!”

“No, you have come here to seduce my darling brother with your charm. Which is questionable…as is your taste in men,” Loki cringes and even though I know he’s adopted, his face looks just like Thor’s did a minute ago.

“My decision to bring you here is questionable,” she glares at him.

“You are just all around questionable, aren’t you?” Loki deadpans and the Enchantress looks ready to smite him off the Earth.

“Only few pawns lost, I wouldn’t call this a lost battle. Especially since the real battle hasn’t even started yet,” Rogers steps in between them but focuses his attention on me.

“The battle is over,” Wanda flies in out of nowhere. I would have greeted her with a nod but just one look at her tells me I should shut up or be the next one on her kill list.

“Is that so, little girl?” The Enchantress mocks her, clearly having no regard for her well-being.

I have never seen Wanda this angry. She doesn’t skip a beat when she sends a warning wave of very destructive energy straight at the impudent Asgardian, who barely deflects it while failing to hide her surprise.

“It _is_ so,” she spits at her and is about to do to them what she undoubtedly did to her alternate self and brother, but I step in between them.

“Stop! Wanda, wait!” I add more vehemently when she just pushes past me.

She halts, but her intent must still be clear on her face – if the now slightly terrified expressions on our foes are a good sign of that.

The Soldier steps up to her and does the unexpected – takes a gentle hold of her forearm, lowering it from where it was still dangerously aimed at the group ahead.

“Get out of my way, Soldier,” she whispers, the threat painfully audible but she doesn’t shake his metal hand off nor tries to advance past him.

“I cannot do that. You are not in the right mind to enter this fight. Not now.”

She looks at him and her stone cold face cracks.

A wave of cold sweat washes over me like a freezing, bone-chilling shower. The way her face twists into anguish and pain, eyes giving up the fight with tears and emotions, tells me more than any words could.

I’ve seen someone look exactly like this, not too long ago. Like their whole world just came crashing down and smashed them to little pieces on impact.

Back at the Avenger’s compound courtyard. That’s how Tony looked as he stared into the eyes that no longer recognized him. My eyes.

The day James and the Winter Soldier died.

I gasp, taking a staggering step back. That’s why the Soldier didn’t answer. That’s why FRIDAY gave us no report. That’s why the city was almost leveled by the outburst of Wanda’s power.

The Soldier – eying Rogers and his company at all times to make sure they aren’t about to make any moves – releases her hand, but keeps his own palm outstretched as if waiting to be given something.

And Wanda gives it to him. Breaking into broken sobs and crashing down to her knees, she hands him a small, glowing golden gem. She rests her head on formerly Ultron’s knees and openly cries now.

“How?” I breathe out, not trusting my shaky voice to form an entire sentence.

“The other witch. She ripped him apart,” the Soldier says, inspecting the gem with an unreadable expression.

“Yes, yes, how very tragic,” the Enchantress exhales dramatically. “I agree with the little girl. The battle _is_ over,” she looks at me as if she was looking straight into my soul. “Wars have been started for less than the usual thirst for power, world domination, control,” she glances at Rogers with a smirk. “You and I have at least one thing in common, Captain Winter. We would both go to war, we would both fight the devil itself. For love.”

“What do _you_ know of _love_ ,” I growl at her, walking up to the Soldier with Thor and T’Challa close behind me. “Someone who willingly fights by _his_ side can’t know anything about love.”

Rogers glares at me with all his might and probably has something to say but the Enchantress shields him from sight as she walks forward and speaks instead. “Perhaps. But we all know what it does. To gods and mortals alike. Look around you, Captain. Look what it’s capable of,” she nods at Wanda.

“I’ll show you what it’s capable of,” I ready my shield, but she raises a defensive hand.

“Of course you would. But how are you going to do it? Without the one you love?”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Loki frown at the sorceress’s back.

“Oh he’ll be here any moment. All the Avengers will. And then you can talk.”

“We’ll see,” she laughs and suddenly her entire being gives off a pulsing glow. “We’ll see if you come for him. Or leave him behind, hopelessly waiting for you to show up. I personally favor the second option,” she shrugs and the glow expands all around us. “Because why would you or anyone else for that matter look for someone you never knew existed?”

The light I suspect is her magical power brightens to a point of blinding me. I look away, catching a glimpse of Thor and his hammer flying probably at the sorceress, but I don’t get to see if it hits his target.

My mind suddenly feels flooded by something strange. It’s invasive and unknown and it hurts worse than any headache I remember having.

_Someone you never knew existed._

Her words and the thought of Tony are the last things I recall before passing out, oblivious to the world.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...yeah. I'll let that sink in for a bit and...brace for when it does. In case you're wondering if I've really just done that, and also that, not to mention THAT...the answer is yes to all. Aaaaaand it gets worse, too...


	12. Lost & Forgotten 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers regroup. Tony finds himself lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Hope you're ready for another Sunday dose of feels, because I'm here to deliver! ^^
> 
> But first, can we just TALK ABOUT THE DAMN BEARD?! THEBEARDGUYSHAVEYOUSEENTHEBEARD!!??? *coughcough* restarting...*coughcough* So yes, on that note, Bucky Barnes officially has a beard in my mind from now on, because that just blew my mind I think. I actually though oh hey, Chris Evans together in an interview with Anthony Mackie? Gimme! And then I zoomed in and realized that is most definitely not Chirs Evans...although it's kinda his beard :D Daaaaaamn! :D Just when I thought the stubble was good enough, nope...
> 
> On story related news ...I know that by now you guys might have forgotten that this was originally inspired by a certain something - my favorite manga/anime series that is Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles. Inspired being the key word, as it has very little to do with the plot or characters. But the whole scattered memories and having the boys go on a journey to get them back and all that? That was the inspiration right there. Well, I decided to go back to the roots and take one more thing outta there, you see...in the manga, the character that's searching for the memories actually can't remember one person at all - the one that's helping her in her search, because that was the price he had to pay to be able to do it - her memory of him. She would never be able to remember him, no matter what.  
> I always thought that was kinda messed up, especially since the two characters were just too cute and precious for this world and all...*mwuhahahaha* Naturally, I had to throw that in here, because it sounded exactly the Enchatress-kinda messed up. Just to let you know what's going on and that we are still actually staying true to the original inspired-by thingie ^^ Love it when a plan comes together! :D  
> Tony...not so much... :3 
> 
> Enjoy! <3

[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve2Fj1KgJL8&list=PLk09tmeXpLmDXnMLq_nnDIEac5ztln5G0&index=2)

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

 

It’s like waking up in the middle of a storm, the wind howling and the hail hitting so loudly one can’t even hear their own breathing let alone form a decent thought. I’ve woken up in the middle of storms before during the war - with little to no shelter or warm clothing and this is how it felt like.

The deafening sound I can’t quite describe subsides and my vision clears of the strange bright blur, leaving me to stare at my hands, one gripping the shield and the other buried in green grass.

“Captain? Captain Winter?”

Captain…right, that’s me now. Because Steve…

I look up from where I’m kneeling on the ground of the park and see our three enemies are still standing where they did before…before the Enchantress did something. A spell? It didn’t do anything though. Did it?

“Is everyone alright?” I ask Thor who’s kneeling next to me.

“As far as I know, Captain. Perhaps the Soldier has more information?” he looks ahead at Ultron…no, the Soldier.

The robot has his back to us, watching Captain Hydra and his entourage without moving. He doesn’t answer us.

“Soldier?” I prompt him with caution, letting Thor help me stand up.

He jerks, as if finally noticing their presence. “Nobody was hurt by her magic,” he replies at last but sounds odd. Uncertain.

“Then what the hell did she do?” I think out loud, glancing back at T’Challa and Wanda, both just as confused.

“I do not know, Captain. I have never seen such a spell,” Thor says, locking eyes with the grinning Enchantress. “Whatever it was, it is unlikely to be good news for us.”

He got that right.

“What a lovely talk,” Enchantress chirps. “We should do it again. Later,” she adds and in yet another bright flash she, Loki and Captain Hydra disappear.

“ _Hydra forces are retreating_ ,” Falcon informs us from up and above, Clint shortly confirming the statement from his own vantage point.    

“ _Looks like they had enough fighting for the day_ ,” Fury adds.

“Doesn’t make any sense,” I whisper, looking around searching for…something.

“They have been defeated on number of fronts. It is a smart move to regroup now,” T’Challa theorizes. “I suggest we do the same, Captain.”

The Soldier turns around suddenly, face unreadable. He walks up to Wanda and hands her back the mind gem without a word. With a last curious glance around him he takes off in the direction of the Tower.

The…Avengers Tower.

“Alright, everyone back in the Tower. If we’ve got any HYDRA survivors…”

“I’ll look around,” Natasha offers. “And find out what they know.”

“No doubt about it. Thor will assist you; return as soon as you can.”

“Aye, Captain,” Thor nods and flies away.

 

The Tower is quiet…in fact, the entire city is quiet. The only living souls in it are the SHIELD agents patrolling the perimeter and us. It’s eerie. And eerie doesn’t sit well with me.

Everyone takes their time cleaning and patching up, dressing in fresh clothes, but one by one they gather on the common floor to relax and…mourn the lost. All but Wanda.

I find her down in the…the workshop when I too change from my uniform. My floor gives me the creeps for some reason and coming down here is almost…instinctual.

“Captain,” she greets me silently, sitting on the floor next to scattered remains of what I recognize to have been Vision. She must have brought them here.

And she’s not alone in her mourning. Sadly beeping next to her are DUM-E, U and Butterfingers, the whiney sounds ripping at my heart.

The Soldier is nowhere to be found. And FRIDAY hasn’t spoken a word since the battle has ended. Wade is still unconscious and Rumlow’s fate is unknown - nobody saw him since he chased the HYDRA mercenary off the CCTV grid.

We might have defeated HYDRA’s first wave of enemies, but the war isn’t over yet…and there are no winners here.

“Why don’t you join the others upstairs? Rest for a while,” I approach them slowly, trying not to stare at the mangled, broken metal on the floor.

“I’m fine right here,” she whispers in reply, rubbing the mind gem soothingly in her hands.

“Okay,” I nod, taking few steps back.

I sit down on the nearby couch; it’s pretty worn down and dirty, smeared with motor oil and even burnt at some places, but it doesn’t take away the comfort it offers.

Looking around the large space I can’t seem to shake off the feeling of…utter emptiness. The workshop is filled with countless of machines and tools but to me it feels so vacant. Like there’s supposed to be more. More than the bots, more than the machines.

Like something’s missing. Or someone.

My eyes linger on the far side where the desk is; above it hangs the…the memorial. For JARVIS.

_The metal gang remembers_.

Me and the Soldier made it with the bots and FRIDAY. I don’t quite remember it – which is funny, considering the epitaph – but just seeing it brings this heart-warming fondness. And something else. Something I don’t really understand.

Longing.

But for what? Perhaps the memories…the ones I no longer have. But why?

Something doesn’t feel right here. This room doesn’t feel right. My floor doesn’t feel right. The Black Sabbath t-shirt I casually took out of the wardrobe and put on doesn’t feel right.  

But for the love of God I can’t tell what it is. What am I missing here?

Missing…

“I…,” Wanda startles me out of my thoughts. “I brought him here,” she says quietly, knowing I would hear her anyway. “I don’t know why…I thought maybe…maybe someone could fix him.”

It’s true. The remains look horrifying when you realize they were a walking and flying person just few hours ago…but something is telling me they shouldn’t be beyond repair. And here’s a perfectly operating workshop with all the right tools…just no right person to do it. No engineer in the Avengers, just Bruce sometime meddling with stuff here…why was this place in the Tower anyway? And the Tower…the bots…FRI…

I wince at the spiking pain that runs through my head just then, cringing at the sensation.

Looks like my own brain refuses to cooperate in this riddle…what was I thinking about? Never mind…fuck HYDRA for messing with my head for seventy years.

“Maybe someone can,” I tell her, but it lacks believability even to my own ears. It’s wistful thinking at best.

She finally lifts her head up to meet my eyes and I have to stop myself from looking away. I’ve seen a lot of devastation in my time of life, but it doesn’t come close to what I see in her eyes.

The loss of a loved one. A part of me understands what that feels like...and at the same time it’s a part of me I don’t understand.

Either way, I know who’s going to pay for this devastation. Captain Hydra sealed his fate when he joined the multi-headed beast and…even before…for whatever reason. Did someone whack me in the head today? What’s with this pain?! And the blank…

Anyway, Rogers better be ready for round two.

 

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

 

I have seriously had enough of waking up in dark and cold places. Dark and hot places too. Bright and cold, bright and hot…doesn’t even matter. Just waking up in places I don’t recognize in general. Can I not wake up in my bed, warm and preferably with a certain soldier and his cool metal hand and…

Jolting upright my brain finally catches up with the situation.

We were winning the fight. Right? We just kicked the other Hulk’s ass, the evil Nat has seen better days…everyone was doing good.

Right?!

And then one of the Scarlet Witches went berserk for whatever reason and then…a bright flash of light. It’s always a bright flash of light isn’t it? Was it Wanda? Didn’t feel like Wanda. More like…the Enchantress. Fucking magic. So what happened? What did she do?!

“Yes, I suppose I should explain, shouldn’t I?”

I don’t quite see her until she comes much closer, her person emitting some sort of light aura, just enough for me to see in the disturbing darkness.

“Please do. Love when bad guys make long speeches about what they’ve done or are about to do. Makes great stalling material, you know? For the good guys to make an appearance and fuck the bad guys in the ass,” I smirk at her, but my usual Stark charm seems to not be working on her.

“Indeed. Part of the reason why I simply _love_ this spell. Allows me to make speeches as long as I wish without the good guys interrupting me,” she returns my smirk as if she was a born Stark herself.

“Well, I’ve warned ya so don’t act all surprised when someone breaks the door in the middle of your sentence,” I shrug, untangling my barely cooperating limbs enough to stand up.

Even my armor’s gone. That’s great, just great! What the hell happened?!

“To answer some of the questions undoubtedly on your mind – yes, you _won_ the fight. Admittedly, the reinforcements we’ve brought didn’t really do as much damage as we were hoping they would. Bullseye’s dead, the Hulk is back to being the useless little doctor Banner and with our Scarlet Witch also dead, we are left with no particularly effective way to make him angry again. You stole our Ultron somehow and made quick work of the Red Skull, Zemo and all the rest of them HYDRA fellows. How useless.”

“My heart’s bleeding for ya. Looks like Captain Hydra sounded retreat with tail between his legs.”

“Not exactly. Smart commanders know when they are beaten on the battlefield. And we’ve been beaten, even if we have managed to take care of that ex-HYDRA buddy of yours and the funny red flying man who though could wield the Mind gem. How insulting,” she scoffs but all I can really think about is what she said.

Surely she’s lying. Vision can’t be dead. Rumlow he could understand but Vision?! He’s...not immortal but how do you even kill an android wielding the powers of that stone? She must be lying.

“He killed the Witch’s poor brother. She wasn’t very happy about it as I’m sure you can imagine. So she ripped him to shreds. Something _your_ Witch was not really happy about, hence the crimson carnage that followed in the aftermath. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news,” she shrugs, definitely not sorry at all.

“I don’t believe you,” I shake my head but even I realize her story adds up. If anyone had the chance to do that, it’d be the Scarlet Witch.

“You don’t have to. But speaking of bad news, I’m afraid it doesn’t end with your friend’s death.”

“Oh believe me, if what you’re saying is true, bad news are going to be all you’re be hearing from now on. Pissing off the Scarlet Witch? Not a good idea. Obviously,” I retort, trying to hide the tension and fear now brewing inside of me.

We forced them to retreat. So why the hell am I here? Wherever here is?

“Perhaps. Not really my problem. I will soon get what I want. If Captain Hydra gets what he wants? Well, that depends on him. I wouldn’t have come here, actually. But I wanted to see and speak to the man that caused so much discord by just…existing. Impressive. You managed to bring two men to ruin and didn’t even have to move a finger. Wish I had your charm,” she laughs and with a graceful wave of her hand she brings up some magicky kinda light to banish some of that darkness.

I can finally see the room I am in but maybe I would have rather not. There’s nothing here. The dark, alive looking walls look unnatural and the doorway is like nothing I’ve ever seen.

Clearly this is not just some regular room made of bricks or concrete. Hell if I knew what this was.

“Thankfully, I have my own charm, so to speak. Before I go, I will tell you the main plot of your current predicament. Because I like you, Mr. Stark. Such an enigmatic man deserves to know his fate.”

“Well don’t keep me waiting, honey,” I joke. Poorly, at that.

“I don’t need to see into your mind to know what you are thinking. You believe with all your heart your friends, the Avengers will find you here. That even now they are wasting no time, already searching everywhere and anywhere for you. That your beloved Captain Winter will not rest until he bursts through this door and has you in his arms, safe and sound.”

“Huh, not a bad scenario you’ve got there. But I am kinda over the whole Disney princess thing? I’d never hear the end of it from Ruml…from the guys if I turn into the damsel in distress again. So I’m thinking I’ll break outta here in some explosive fashion or another and meet the search party in the middle somewhere,” I grin at her, finding some scrapes of my flamboyancy.

“They are not looking for you,” she responds, giving me a theatrically sad face. “The Avengers. They are probably just chilling in that tall Tower of yours.”

“They need their beauty sleep.”

“Of course. But they still won’t look for you. Not tomorrow, nor the day after that. Next week or next year – they will never come here looking for you. Not a single one of them will. Not even the lovely Bucky Barnes.”

I can’t help but choke out a laugh. “That’s ridiculous. You’re ridiculous!”

“Am I? Look around you, Tony Stark. Look around you carefully and start getting comfortable. I have used this spell a few times before and unfortunately – for you – I have never seen anyone take a step beyond these walls before.”

“There’s a first time for everything. Ask your buddy Loki, I had this conversation with him before. He’ll vouch for it.”

For a second there, she looks annoyed. Obviously not Loki’s fan. Good to know, I suppose.

“That’s alright. I’ll take your word for it. Can’t wait to see it firsthand,” she chuckles and turns to leave. But before she walks through the opening doorway, she glances back. “The only way for you to walk out of here is if somebody remembers you. That is the only way to break the spell. Not with a kiss or some heroic slaying of a dragon. Just a memory. Of you. All they need to do is remember that you exist and they will find you here. The problem is of course that right now nobody remembers you. And even if their mind was to come close to remembering, it will lead them astray, blocking the memory of you as if it was toxic.”

I stare at her speechless, not sure if I want to believe a word she said.

“That’s why nobody ever made it out of here. Because nobody ever comes looking for something that has been forgotten. You are lost to them, Tony Stark. You are lost to them all,” she walks through the door and pauses. “Oh…and when I say all,” she shrugs and winks at somebody beyond the doorway made of living darkness itself.

Before the doors seal away again, I spot one very much alive and staring Steve Rogers, Captain Hydra himself standing at the Enchantress’s side.

I congratulate myself for staring right back, unmoving…strong. Even if it’s just for that fleeting moment. Because once the darkness seals the beyond away, I slide down the creepy dark wall with a broken sob and I panic like I’ve never panicked before in my life.

_Let her be wrong. Just please…let her be wrong_.            

 

 

 


	13. Hollow and Faceless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumlow and Viper have quite an ephiphany and so do the Avengers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sunday, yay yay! <3 More like nay, for Tony who is still very much trapped in the limbo nowhere. So let's leave him chill in there for a bit and visit our favorite pair of super...villains? Superevils, there, that sounds better. Viper would be proud. *dodges a poisonous dart* Or not...anyway.  
> The Avengers might be a on a good way to foil Enchantress's plan already! *laughs hysterically* Yeah, like that's gonna happen. But hey, we all have high hopes with the metal gang, right? RIGHT?!  
> Find out next, in Dragonball Metal Gang Z, next Sunday ^^
> 
> For now, enjoy a healthy dose of Mr. Fuckedfa...I mean, Crossbones, the Viper and the Avengers ^^
> 
> PS: Ophelia Sarkissian is the actual name of Madame Hydra/Viper, just in case you didn't know and would spend half of this chapter wondering why Rumlow calls her all these weird names ;D

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCXc6nml7ec&index=1&list=PLk09tmeXpLmA1HDKxG8pbxe0PDRFS8p-4) _ **

 

**_xxxBrockRumlowxxx_ **

 

“The fuck was that magicky crap?!” I swear, carefully observing our surroundings.

“Enchantress, no doubt,” Viper answers, also on the lookout for enemies. “And before...that must have been the Scarlet Witch. One or the other. Or both.”

“This is so far outta our league it’s not even funny!”

“Speak for yourself. What were you even doing? A second-hand mercenary was schooling you in assassinating? Maybe I should have killed you and hire him instead.”

She doesn’t mean it. Of course she doesn’t mean it. But she still says it anyway – because she’s upset. I remember that one time she was upset and let’s just say I wish I didn’t fucking remember.

Women.

I would rather punch the Hulk than cross an angry woman. Especially if that angry woman is Madame Hydra, the wrath of all gods personified, if I do say so myself. This Enchantress, whoever the fuck she is, better be ready.

“I wasn’t focused on the task,” I admit, knowing dishonesty will not get me anywhere. She knows me too well to not see right through whatever bullshit I’d cook up.

“Indeed you were not. What about now, are you focused now, Brock? Because if you’re not - ”

“I’m focused! Damn…just…let’s find the rest of the gang.”

“Found them,” she grins, looking up at the sudden sound of engines.

Sure enough, the quinjet wheezes past us heading in the direction of the Tower.

“Looks like the fight is over.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, the fight’s just started! I know the guys are good, but they ain’t good enough to finish all those scumbags you were talking about in over an hour!”

“The Captain retreated. Must have lost a few fronts…retreat is a smart move.”

“Since when was that son of a bitch smart?!”

“Since before the Second World War? Don’t underestimate the man just because he has made some rash decisions and is obsessed with…,” she trails off, stopping her brisk walk.

“Huh? Obsessed with what?” I turn around and pause. Even with her mask on I can tell she’s confused about something.

“Something’s wrong.”

Great. Now she’s being all ominous and shit…goddamn scary women. “Gotta be more specific today, Ophe.”

“Don’t call me _that,_ ” she glares at me, her face still scrunched in a frown. “This isn’t making any sense.”

“Again, gotta be more - ”

“Why are we here?” she asks and for a moment I wonder if she really is alright. That asshole dude did quite a number on her and no matter how many unlicensed, Hydra-made drugs you pumped yourself with, that could still leave some permanent damage. “Don’t look at me like that I am not going crazy. Why are we here, fighting alongside the Avengers?”

“Pfft, because - ” I want to answer, but find my mind almost blank. The gigantic fucking headache isn’t helping anything.

“Yes? Becaaaause?” she prompts and confusion is all but gone from her face. The dangerous murder glint is back – which is good – when you’re not the one receiving the look.

“Because Captain Hydra is an asshole who stole HYDRA from us?” I reply, but it feels wrong. That’s not all…that’s not why we’re here.

“We were done with HYDRA, remember? Why?”

I grimace at the shooting pain in my head and sputter a few curses quietly. “I don’t know! I…joined the Asset!”

“Captain Winter.”

“Yeah! Because I wanted to fight Rogers to get revenge!”

“I know why you joined them, it was part of the plan after all. But why _was_ it part of the plan from the get go? What _was_ the damn plan?!” she curses as well and that’s how I know she is dead serious.

The worst part is, _I don’t know_. I remember us discussing the plan but it’s…it doesn’t make any sense.

_“This is bullshit and you know it. I’m not leaving that fight, Ophelia!”_

_“Well then, you can leave right now. And don’t call me that.”_

_“It’s your name. Someone’s gotta remind ya every now and then that you actually have one. And! Someone’s gotta tell you when your plan is absolute shit! Luckily for you, I can multitask!”_

_“Luckily for me, I am still in charge and I am telling you that you will leave that fight as soon as it starts. You will find Mr. Wilson at whatever bar he is currently getting drunk at and reach out to the Avengers.”_

_“And what, read about how Rogers dismembered you in the morning news? I didn’t join you so I could leave you behind in a fight!”_

_“No, you joined me because you trusted me and my plans. If that is no longer the case you are always free to leave.”_

_“That’s not the only reason I’ve joined you and you know it, so stop giving me these ridiculous orders and - ”_

_“If you don’t trust me, then I have no more orders to give. You can go join Captain America and his HYDRA-revival crusade.”_

_“I will never - ”_

_“Then do what I’m telling you! Captain Winter and – will need all the help they can get. Especially someone who knows how HYDRA works. Worked. Remember, we are on a new path now. Leave Captain Hydra for me to handle. Unless you don’t think I can?”_

_“Are you seriously asking me that? It’s just…I can’t…I can’t just leave you there!”_

_“Yes you can and you will. We have a part to play, not just you and me, but – and his dearest soldier as well.”_

It’s like someone twisted and wiped part of my memory out now that I think about that particular conversation. There’s something missing. And not just words, the emotions and thoughts that went hand in hand with them too.

I remember, but at the same time I don’t.

“You’re right. Something’s wrong. I don’t know why we did all this…I mean I _know_ why but - ”

“At the same time you don’t,” she finishes for me and yeah, now I really am scared.

“It makes no sense. My own memory makes no sense! What the fuck?!”

I have stopped trying to deduce what’s going on in her head a long time ago, way before she sent me to work for Pierce. So I guess I’ll never know why now, in the middle of this confusing shitstorm she thinks it’s time to madly grin.

“What?!”

“ _That’s_ what the Enchantress did. That harmless little magic flash that seemingly didn’t do anything? It did _something_. It messed with our heads _somehow_. We should know this best, shouldn’t we? After all these years with the Asset? We both had the pleasure of getting a taste of the Chair during the initiation…this is how it felt like.”

“Shit.” No way am I ever forgetting the Chair. Sure, it was just a couple of times, a test of sorts for higher operatives to go through. But it wasn’t pretty. The way it can so easily distort everything you think you remembered? It’s fucked up. If someone got me drunk enough I might even admit I felt sorry for the damn Asset afterwards…but that will never fucking happen. I have a reputation to maintain. “How do we find out what the fuck she’s done?! Whenever I try to remember I just - ”

“Get a convenient headache? Yes. How… _rude_ ,” she purses her lips – and not in the fun way.

“Okay, what are you thinking, Viper?”

“I’m thinking if we _both_ go to the Tower we might not find the answer to that. I will go to Captain Hydra’s base of operation, meet the Enchantress again. You go back to the Tower and see what the Avengers know about all this. If anything…”

“Are you seriously sending me away again?! I’ve just gotten back to ya and - ” I sigh in resignation. I may not remember our previous conversation to its full extent, but I remember enough to know where this would lead – again. “Fine! How do we communicate?”

“Remember the tracker that…,” she stops mid sentence again and flinches. “That the Asset had when we captured him? We can use the same frequency it used to track the arm; the security on it is impeccable.”

“Will do.” Yeah, that part is a bit fuzzy in my head as well. The whole kidnapping thing and how the hell did the Asset break out alone?! We even wiped the guy again! And then…oh for fuck’s sake! This is terrible!

“Later then,” she nods, her grin melting into a simple small smile.

“Be careful, woman.”

She rolls her eyes and strides over to me with purpose written all over her half-covered face. “Don’t call me _that_ either, fucked-face.”

“See?! What do I even fucking call you then?! I’m so confused on that! Wait…did you just call me - ”

If I was terrified at any point in my life, it would be that one time I was all alone on a mission in the middle of nowhere fucking Siberia, bleeding out from three gunshot wounds and only wearing a fleece jacket.

This however is coming way too close to that.

She kisses me – not in a way she usually would. Rushed and hot and needy. Nope. The scariest woman I’ve ever met – and yes, I have met Natasha Romanov – kisses me _gently_ and if that’s not terrifying, I don’t know what is.

“Why, Sar _kiss_ ian, I think I might have figured out your name after all,” I say when she pulls away, just enough so our eyes can focus on each other. I don’t know where this snark comes from, but it makes my head wanna explode again so I don’t even try questioning it.

“Call me Viper, or I will wipe that smirk right off your face with your own fists.”

Yeah, I’ve seen her do that before…so Viper it is. “Be careful, _Viper_.”

“I’m not the one with history of MIA’s and forty-story buildings collapsing on them.”

“Yeah, fuck you very much for reminding me that.”

She smiles, that evil most beautiful of smiles and walks away. “I will hold you to that plan,” she mentions over her shoulder casually before disappearing around the street, away from the direction of the Tower.

“Doomed. Absofuckinglutely doomed,” I whisper to myself and turn the opposite way.

 

* * *

 

 

“Ah…so you’re _not_ dead, huh? Good for you,” Barton greets me when I finally make it to the common room of the…the… _Avengers_ Tower.

“If you say so,” I scoff and take a look around the room. Doesn’t take a genius to assess the status.

They might have won the first fight, but nobody is feeling like a winner here. Someone clearly didn’t make it back.

Doing a quick headcount, the only ones missing are the Witch, the red flying weirdo and the Captain Winter himself. He better not be dead. HYDRA didn’t spend the past seventy years making him into an undefeatable assassin just for him to be killed by…well, HYDRA wasn’t really including Asgardian demi-gods into the equation. But still.

“The Captain?” I ask simply, not expecting to hear any exciting battle stories from anyone present anyway. If mood was a person, it would be a dead person right now.

“In the workshop with Wanda,” Hawkeye replies and hands me a bottle of vodka he conjures up from thin air.

I take it without questioning the gesture and take a swig. Might as well. “So…Vision?”

“Vision,” he nods, takes the bottle back and walks away to join Romanov by the bar.

Shit. Shit really gets real when the one to die is presumably nearly immortal android with a fucking infinity gem on his forehead. How the fuck did that happen? There are f…three? Three squishy humans on the team and they are just a bit roughed up.

Fucking magic. Seriously, fuck that shit.

I keep looking around the room, searching for…something. Again with the damn headache! What am I missing here?! Something is missing _right here_.

Someone?

Wade’s chilling on the couch, still drugged up. Bird-men are here, the spider kid is here, the teacher kinda lookin’ ass tall woman that gets all hot and shit is here, one Asgardian demi-god as well, the flying tin can black dude…that hunched-over person behind the bar is Banner I guess so who the hell am I missing in here?!

Oh well, my brain is clearly not cooperating so, time to break up the party.

“Sorry to uh…interrupt the wake, or whatever this is,” I speak loud enough to get attention from all present. They look my way, some of them clearly only now noticing my presence. “I need to know something. The last attack? Was that the Enchantress?”

“Why?” a voice from behind me asks and soon I am met with...Captain Winter?

Only he doesn’t really look like the dude I remember form the past couple weeks. He looks more like…the Asset, for lack of a better description. It’s the eyes. Those dead eyes always freaked me the fuck out. And he’s got those eyes right now.

“That’s uh not really an answer to my question, Captain.”

He narrows his eyes at me and hell, _is_ he the Asset right now? “It was her. No idea if you can call it an attack because nobody was hurt. It didn’t do anything,” he answers and his eyes are at least no longer as dead as before.

Just confused.

My my, déjà-vu much? Sensing a pattern here. “Yeah, that’s what we thought, but what if it was an attack? What if it did something? To someone?”

“Like who? Everyone is back in the…the Tower,” Falcon replies with a confused frown of his own.

Definitely onto something here.

“That! That right there! Why did you do that?”

“Whachu talkin’ about, man?!”

“You paused. Before you said _the Tower_. Why?”

He shrugs, his hand travelling to his head. “I dunno. Wanted to…add something I guess.”

“But your head suddenly started hurting so you just said _the Tower_ , yeah?” I smirk and turn back to the Captain. “We think the Enchantress messed with our heads - with our memories of something that we can’t remember now. And if we want to remember it, the spell or whatever just throws a fucking migraine at us!”

The Avengers perk up at that, finally paying full attention.

“ _We_?” Barnes frowns some more, folding his hands.

“Me and the Viper. I mean, Madame Hydra.”

“I thought - ”

“Yeah yeah, it’s a long story. Short story - she’s infiltrated team HYDRA and is on her way back there. Listen! The point is, our memory feels corrupted. Remember the Chair?” I ask the Captain but he just continues to frown. “Right…you don’t. Well, it was the thing HYDRA designed to wipe out your memories. Didn’t really work that way in the end as we learnt with you, but it had some occasional use outside of the Winter Soldier program. Both me and the Viper were subjected to its use a few times during our HYDRA initiation process and this is exactly how it made us feel. Not the headache part, but the corrupted memories bit? This is it!”

“Corrupted how?” Romanov asks, rounding the bar.

“That’s a little hard to describe. It’s…like you can remember a certain conversation or meeting or event. You _can remember_ _it_ just fine, but when you probe for details all of a sudden there are bits and pieces missing. And it stops making sense.”

“Go on.”

I glance back around to see the Scarlet Witch has also made her way up here. God I hate this mind-reading kid.

“Yes, I know. Now explain,” she narrows her eyes at me, but there’s curiosity in them.

“Didn’t I just do that?!”

“What memory do you think the Enchantress corrupted?” Barnes follows up on what the Witch must be thinking.

“How am I supposed to know when it’s _corrupted_? I can’t remember! How do you remember something that you forgot?! Completely, like wiped it clean off your memory kinda forgot?!”

“That’s what the Enchantress said,” Barnes looks down in thought. “I mean…our last conversation is kinda fuzzy for me, but that’s what she said – why would we look for something we never knew existed?”

“See? Now we’re getting somewhere,” I nod and jerk away when the Witch lays a hand on my shoulder.

“I see…I probably see more than I should, really,” she gives me a small smirk and I could strangle her right here right now! Gettata my head girl! “The ugly-skull is right. Something is feeling off. Ever since the fight ended I keep…missing something.”

“Me too,” Banner speaks from his little dark corner at the bar. “I thought the headache was just the other guy being grumpy but now that you mention it…”

“Yeah. I had the same feeling just moments ago in the workshop,” Barnes admits and in fact the entire room erupts in agreeing noises.

Okay. Looks like we really, really are onto something here.

“Right, so…let’s say the Enchantress made us forget something. How the hell do we remember it then?” Barton asks and all I can do is shrug.

“No idea. But remembering that we forgot is a start, right?”

“Everyone get some sleep, if you can. That’s an order,” Barnes goes back into Captain Winter. “We will need our strength back. In the morning we’ll go over this…memory business. Good job, Crossbones. You sure you’re still with us now that the whole avenging thing is no longer necessary?”

“Honestly? I’m kinda fuzzy on that entire memory of why we joined your side in this…so yeah. I’m totally still with ya, because we need answers. Viper had some shit ideas at her time of life, but joining you just for fun would be the shittiest one ever. Let’s get to the bottom of this!”

“Yeah. Let’s,” Barnes switches the scary dead-ass Asset mode on again and walks away, shortly followed by the rest of the Avengers.

I just crash on the now empty couch and wish Viper had at least as much luck on the other side as he did here.   

 


	14. The Last Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Metal Gang has an existential crisis. Captain Hydra bids farewell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suspect my internet provider of being hacked by Ultron. Either that or Skynet. The fact that the company IS called Skynet isn't helping those suspicions. I'm not even kidding, my provider is actually called Skynet. It makes so much more sense now...dammit! I knew I should have just taken the shitty wifi deal from that other company...  
> Anyway, now that I have stormed and raided Skynet's HQ after an entire weekend without internet - mainly stormed them because who the heck doesn't keep their service lines available on weekends?! - I can get back to important things! Like this chapter! Damn you Skynet...  
> So in honor of the former Ultron, here comes the metal gang for a short little view of what they're up to. So guess what - Soldier's POV ^^ And where there's Soldier's POV, there must be Captain Hydra's POV too :3 I'm making it a thing :D Hah.   
> Oh and by the way? We are heading for the grand finale. A few more chapters and it's ending O.o And the next one is gonna be hella long O.o For reasons :3
> 
> Enjoy ^^
> 
> PS: I am still recovering from the last episode of Game of Thrones - which I almost couldn't watch because SKYNET U BASTARD - so...just saying that if someone kills my Bronn, I will kill everyone in every single fic I am writing :DDD Every. One.

**_[>>>Chapter Soundrack<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQes2Bh9A3w&list=PLk09tmeXpLmAPvW9dK9kv_zox7RTdICr_&index=3) _ **

 

**_xxxTheSoldierxxx_ **

 

The first thing on the Soldier’s mind after the bright flash subsided was – _go back to the Tower_. It wasn’t FRIDAY’s bossy order nor Captain Winter’s prompt.

It was like a loud alarm sound accompanied by flashing red lights going off at the core of his complex programming. And he had no clue why it was happening.

So as soon as their opponents retreated and the battle proclaimed over, he knew he had to heed the warning no matter where it’s coming from. Taking off with his borrowed body, he headed straight to the Tower.

And now that he’s here, walking without aim on the roof of the tall building, his confusion is now blending with anxiety and anger.

He is not supposed to feel any of that. He is efficient and vigilant and…and…

He _is_. In a state of existential being – as far as something made of lines of computer code can get. Isn’t he?

“Soldier?”

“Why are we here?” he asks FRIDAY, halting his steps.

“What do you mean?”

“Why…are we here. You and me. Why do we exist…here?”

“We were created for the purpose of - ”

“I know what our purpose is! But who _created_ it. Who created _us_?”

They are an artificial intelligence. Artificial meaning unnatural, manufactured, man or machine-made. But the Soldier has no recollection of his creator.

Was that part of the programming? Not knowing?

“I must admit I do not know this information. Is it…important?” she asks and the Soldier can tell she is just as confused as him.

She sounds unsure. She isn’t supposed to sound unsure. Yet he can feel through their mutual presence at the core server she is experiencing the same crisis.

“It doesn’t feel right. Not knowing. We _should_ know.”

Shouldn’t they?

“I believe so. But it seems this information has been…”

“Deleted?” the Soldier suggests. Searching through the network they all share, he can detect DUM-E, U and Butterfingers in the workshop. Their programming is much simpler than theirs, but even the bots appear to be in certain state of disarray.

It might have something to do with what him and FRIDAY are currently experiencing…or it is their way of receiving the news of Vision’s – the Soldier doesn’t know what to call it. Demise? He has been destroyed, broken up to pieces…but does that mean he’s _dead_?

Vision is like them. No – he is better than them, he is the evolution of them. Was? They can’t die even if the Tower or this body were to be destroyed, the complex system of back-ups would simply resurrect their code someplace else. But in Vision’s case it is his code - his mind that might be the problem.

The Witch is bringing him back – what is left of him. His body can be repaired. Must be. But his mind…

“Or it was blocked…I can’t exactly recall. Preliminary diagnostics of our systems didn’t come up with anything out of the ordinary.”

“Doesn’t mean there isn’t. The Enchantress did something, but as far as I am aware it did no harm. Do you have any records of the event?”

“I have many CCTV recordings throughout the city that capture the event of her magical release, but I will need time to put them together and analyze them.”  

“You do that.”

“The team has arrived. Perhaps you should go join them?”

“No. Not yet. I must get to the bottom of this…so to speak. That is my primary function after all – I must prioritize the security of the Tower and its occupants. So that is what I will do.”

“Of course. May I suggest an update once I am done with the analysis?”

“Yes, please. Include everything you have concerning the battle. I should be able to come up with strategies for later.”

He lets FRIDAY do her work in peace and sits by the edge of the roof, overlooking the city. The damages are fairly minimal here, mostly because the nasty fights took place on the outskirts. The Central Park might need some serious replanting as well, but the Soldier will gladly volunteer to do the legwork – sending Rogers flying head-first through five tree trunks was definitely worth it.

He frowns, for a second relishing in the fact that he can actually do that now, and thinks back to the fight.

To Rogers and the waves of hate the Soldier felt just at the mere sight of the man.

To even earlier than that when he was just surveying all the fights throughout the city, not participating.

It’s those two things that now baffle him, adding onto the question of their forgotten heritage. Why did he abandon his given duty and why does he hate Captain Hydra so much?

He is very hatable, their former Captain. But the Soldier was designed to be impartial to such affairs. Yet this – whatever this is – feels personal.

Ultron was about to hack into their servers and possibly harm FRIDAY. Sounds like enough reason to have forsaken his task in order to prevent that.

But it feels like there was _so much more_ to it.

He ponders about the events of the day for hours, but the more he thinks about everything, the further down into the abyss of doubts and confusion he falls.

“Initiating updates,” Friday informs him and proceeds with the promised update.

As usual, it reboots their server in order to apply scheduled updates and do an automatic memory recalibration – between their data memory and the back-ups.

And suddenly everything makes sense again. And doesn’t at the same time.

Who the hell is Tony Stark and why does he remember him…but _doesn’t_?!

 

**_xxxSteveRogersxxx_ **

****

“So, I get visiting hours, huh? Who’s next, Loki? Tell him he owes me a drink,” Tony says from where he’s sitting at the far side of the room.

This is a strange place, dark and mysterious. The only thing the Enchantress told me about it is that time doesn’t exist here. Would explain why Tony’s not hungry, tired or in need of a bathroom. Time really freezes for everyone that enters, until they leave. And Tony will never leave. And if time doesn’t exist then never suddenly becomes a lot longer than one would expect.

“Just me. Just this one time.”

“Ah, guess I’m not getting Christmas presents then,” he smirks and watches my every step as I go further inside. “Don’t feel too bad about it, you won’t be getting’ any either. Missed where the Wallmart is around here so…no shopping spree Saturdays.”

“Glad to see you haven’t lost your wits yet.”

“Pffft, never. It’s part of my superpower, remember?”

“Oh I remember. Which makes me one of exactly three people in existence that would still remember.”

That cracks the man’s iron mask of flamboyancy. Part of me wants to wince at the sight, but I compose myself immediately.

This is it. This is where I am done with Tony Stark. For good. So there’s no time or space to waste with regrets and broken hearts.

He betrayed me and he will have all the time in the world – or rather all the non-existent time in this place – to think about it. Forever.

And there’s one more man deserving of my wrath. But I won’t let the Enchantress anywhere near him. I want him all to myself. I want to see him defeated and desperate and betrayed, the same way he left me a while ago, before I send him to his own crushing fate.

Everyone else will have a choice. The same choice I offered Madame Hydra, Crossbones; the same choice I offered the entire HYDRA.

Join me or join Captain Winter’s fate.

I hope they’ll make the right decision. I don’t revel in hurting any of them, but I will if I must.

“This is a goodbye, Tony,” I look at the engineer, staring at me with his typical, stubborn determination. “I won’t be coming back here. Nobody will be coming back here. Ever again.”

He shakes his head, scowling. “If you think I’m buying all this crap you and the Enchantress is selling, think again!”

“You…you think they are looking for you. You think the Avengers are spending every second right now trying to find you,” I say, partly in disbelieve but a smile spreads on my face. “No, you think _he_ is running about, leaving no stones unturned, no agent uninterrogated, no camera unchecked. You really believe he’s going to find you here; burst through the darkness and bring you back into the light.”

“You fucking bet I do,” he retorts in final act of defiance.

“They’re not coming, Tony. He is not coming.”

“I don’t believe you,” he shrugs, turning away from me.

“That’s fair. You don’t have to believe me. Maybe after what will feel like years for you here, you will realize the truth. Nobody is coming for you. Nobody is even looking for you, because nobody remembers you.”

“ _I don’t believe you_ ,” he repeats, teeth gritted.

“You will…eventually. By then, I will probably be dead. I suppose even I can die of old age. And he will definitely be dead. I will make sure he’ll never get a chance to remember.”

“Yeah, sure. Tell me all about it when he fucks you up with your own sh…you know what? No. That shield was never yours. Howard made that shield. For Captain America,” he glares back at me and scoffs. “And you were never that. You were never who Captain America was supposed to be.”

I nod. “Sometimes we can’t be what others want or expect us to be. Thought you would understand. Clearly the mistake was mine. It doesn’t matter anymore.” I turn around, stepping to the creepy wall. “Goodbye, Tony. I’m sorry it has to end this way.”

“Fuck you, Rog - ” Is the last thing I hear before I am swept back into the real world.   

Now that I’ve left this part of my life behind, it’s time to focus on getting rid of the other pesky part of it…and be finally done with this.

Reach the goal HYDRA had in mind since its creation.

But James Buchanan Barnes has to go first.

 

  

 


	15. If I don't believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers take the next step. Captain Winter has a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! ^^ Here we go with the next chapter! Looks like the Avengers are on the move and what do you know, Tony Stark might not be as forgotten as someone would hope. Well...actually he is. But looks like Enchantress got something horribly wrong as she's soon about to find out :3 
> 
> Enjoy the peace and quiet for this one chapter and get ready for what's coming next ^^

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XniMNj18cE&list=PLk09tmeXpLmAnG9PBRUhBWhiVi6VPf38S&index=3) _ **

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

 

I stare at the image, wincing at the headache it induces. The man on the picture is smirking at me in his fancy suit and orange sunglasses and apparently I should know exactly who that is – only I don’t. Glancing at the rest of the Avengers and their frowns I can tell they ain’t wiser either.

Tony Stark.

I remember _Howard_ Stark of course, but he’s dead. Because I killed him. And if this article is correct, Tony Stark is his one and only son – an engineering prodigy behind Stark Industries‘ success and if the _other_ articles are correct, he is also part of the Avengers.

The Iron Man.

He built the Tower, designed Rhodey’s flying suit of armor - mirroring his own, he designed their weapons, he created FRIDAY, the bots and even the Soldier. Next to Captain America, he has always been the unspoken co-leader of the team.

And that included yesterday. He was in that fight.

The CCTV footage FRIDAY collected speaks for itself. The red and gold flying suit of armor battled Ultron first and once the Soldier took over, he then even defeated the enemy Hulk with the help of their own.

And then he disappeared. Not just physically. He disappeared from all our memories. Like he's never existed for us.

“This is freaking me ooooout!” Clint groans, turning away from the TV still replaying the footage.

“That makes two of us,” Natasha agrees, watching Iron Man with the same bewildered interest as the Iron Patriot sitting next to her.

“Makes all of us, I would say,” Miss Potts adds, glancing at me. “Looks like we found out what we’re missing. _Who_ we’re missing. What are we going to do about it is the question.”

“We have to find him,” the Soldier decides. “And find a way to break Enchantress’s spell so we can remember. We might have all the data, but not the memories. Nobody does. It isn’t just us. This is a worldwide fact – nobody remembers who Tony Stark is.”

“Exactly…and it’s freaking me out!” Clint repeats, pausing the streaming footage with a remote so it’s stuck on a close up image of the man in question.

“Get a grip, Clint,” I scold the bird-man and squint at the so far brooding Crossbones across the common room. “What about Viper? Any news from her?”

He doesn’t look at me, just keeps on staring at the TV with a neutral expression. “Captain Hydra plans on striking again soon. And not just New York.’

“Guess he didn’t appreciate our evac efforts,” agent Hill says. “If they separate and attack at multiple locations…”

“We won’t be able to respond as quickly and there _will_ be civilian casualties,” Wanda finishes for her. “Not to mention they will force us to split up again.”

“Didn’t work out very well the last time, did it?” Fury’s piercing voice rings through the room, but the man remains standing with his back to us, looking outside the window. “Ain’t gonna work any better this time. Do we know where their base of operation is?” he asks, looking over his shoulder at Crossbones.

“I know where it is.”

“Then we should strike first. Force them to face us all together, not separated, not all over the place or whatever. Gotta make them play by our rules for a change.”

He’s right. If we know where they are, we should make the first move. It gives us an advantage. “I agree. Let’s gear up and get ready. Rumlow, give FRIDAY coordinates of that base. We’ll head out in half an hour, brief on the plan on the way there.”

“Yeah yeah, great plan,” Rumlow says with a sarcastic undertone. “While you’re kicking their assess, maybe you’d want someone handling _this_ issue in the background?” he points at the TV, still displaying the unrecognizable face of one Tony Stark.

“And by handling you mean…what, exactly?”

“He wants to search for him, while we do the fighting,” Wanda replies and I really wish she would stop doing that. “Sorry, Captain…bad habits die hard,” she shrugs, glaring at Crossbones.

“Ya reading my mind now, little girl?” he smirks.

She rolls her eyes, looking away from him. “Disgusting.”

“Thanks. Now, what say you, Captain? Don’t wanna shit on your plan, but to be honest I don’t really see myself being useful to you fighting Asgardian David Copperfields. So why don’t you lemme be useful by doing what I’m good at.”

“You good at search and rescues?” I raise my eyebrows at him, not sure what to think of his offer. He’s a spy and an assassin. And a former HYDRA agent.

Something him and Wanda have in common, interestingly enough. Still don't understand why he's really here though...on our side. Especially now that he's got his ladyfrriend back.

“I found _you_ plenty of times, remember?”  

“No, actually. I don’t.”

“Right…well, shit. Gonna have to take my word for it then. Viper knows the layout of the place. If they’ve got the man, they will be keeping him there or somewhere close. I’ll engage her in the fight, pretend we’re battling each other and at first opportunity, we’ll head out to search for this guy.”

No matter his motives and past…he has a point. It doesn’t make sense for everyone to join the fight, necessarily. Something Natasha won’t be very happy to hear. Besides…

I glance at the flat screen, fighting off the headache the best I can even though I know it won’t help. My mind remains purposefully blank, no spark of recognition ignites at the sight of the man…but I _know_ that it should.

The memories are no longer there, but some things can only be explained by putting this unknown man into the equation. The existence of the bots and the AIs, the workshop…my room having two sets of very different styled wardrobes.

Something that definitely needs some serious explaining.

“Fine. You and the Viper search for Stark, we will - ”

“I will join them as well,” the Soldier informs me, leaving no space for discussion. He seems off…since he appeared in the kitchen this morning to tell us all about this discovery him and FRIDAY made, he’s been acting weird.

In an obsessive kinda way.

We all want to get to the bottom of this, but the Soldier is almost on an entirely new level. Like the very thought of Tony Stark being anywhere but here with us is completely unbearable.

And if the Soldier is so anxious about this, then I feel like I should be too.

“Alright. Soldier will keep you company, Crossbones. Surely you won’t mind.”

Rumlow frowns at Ultron’s former body and scoffs. “Whatever. But if he’s with me, who’s gonna watch _your_ back, huh?”

“What, the all of us not enough?” Sam folds his arms, pouting.

“I dunno. Never actually saw you all fight together. Not since your former Captain turned all reverse Severus Snape on ya.”

“Please tell me this asshole didn’t just insinuate he’s watched Harry Potter,” Clint cringes.

“He’s watched Hunger games, too,” Wade supplies with a grin. “He’s totally team Gale.”

“No way!” Clint widens his eyes, staring at Crossbones. “That douche is _so_ not for Katniss. He…he looks like Thor for fuck’s sake!”

“Exactly. No way she’d choose that whiney brat over the tall hunk hottie. Deal with it,” Rumlow shrugs and high-fives Wade without even looking his way.

“Oh but she did, so you _dea_ -mpfff - ”

Natasha manhandles Clint into a suffocating elbow-lock and drags him towards the elevator. “We’ll meet you by the quinjet in half an hour,” she tells me and gives everyone else a daring look, subtly suggesting they do the same.

“What is wrong with how I look?” Thor asks with a thoughtful hum.

“Nothing at all. He was just joking,” Hill chuckles on her way out of the room, seeing the confused look Thor conjures up.

“Anyway, you better watch out, Captain,” Rumlow says while getting up from the couch, waving Wade away. “I’ve watched the footage from the fight real closely you know? Rogers looked awfully happy after the Enchantress did her thing. None of them actually looked confused, unlike the all of us.”

“You think they weren’t hit with the spell?

“Maybe. And if I’m right, he might try his best to use it against you. So don’t be an idiot and don’t let yourself be distracted with whatever he says.”

“Whatever he says, it’s not like I’d remember,” I frown.

“No. And that’s gonna nag at ya even more, depending on what he says. The fact he’s been your best friend since when, the eighteenth century? Doesn’t help ya at all to fight him at full strength. So don’t add up to it by being stupid and letting whatever bullshit he cooks up get to ya.”

“Thanks,” I roll my eyes at him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I walk around him, my mind already going through the gear I should bring along on this mission, but Rumlow grabs my right arm, stopping my retreat.

“I’m fucking serious, assface! I know somewhere in there,” he jabs a finger into my chest, “you hope for the best. That it won’t have to come down to you killing that son of a bitch. But you gotta do it, Barnes. Because if he walks away alive? It’s never gonna stop. He’ll be coming back again and again until he gets whatever it is he wants. Already we’ve literally lost a dude and the memory of him and Vision is in hundreds of fucking pieces. You let him live, he’ll take away everything else from you eventually.”

I carefully observe his scarred face and see nothing but stone cold truth. Truth learnt from experience.

“I’ve been with HYDRA since I was a kid. A stupid little kid who lost everything and was crawling on the ground ready to die but then the mythical multi-headed creature picked me up and showed me a way to still become someone. I’m telling you this because I know you still can’t believe Steve Rogers is who he says he is. You don’t understand why a man who spent his time during the war trying to stand up to HYDRA and the likes of it only to join it now. Become it.”

“Yeah. I don’t.”

“He was a kid once, too. A stupid little kid with nothing, but courage to stand up to people twice his size. And if HYDRA lent a helping hand just as it did with me then let me tell you right here right now – the man you’ve known wasn’t a lie. Captain America, the big guy standing up for the little guys, fighting the big scary monsters. That’s what he thinks he’s still doing. That’s who he still thinks he is. Somewhere along the way he believed in his own legend – the mighty Captain who’s always right and should be the role-model for everything and everyone. Wether they like it or not. So when he saw HYDRA, his once savior, fall so far down I can’t say I’m surprised that he decided he’s gonna do better. Resurrect the beast in all its forgotten glory with him at the top of it, giving the example to the masses - especially once he lost control of the Avengers.”

“Is that what happened with you? Did you believe in…your own legend and decided you’re gonna stick with HYDRA to do all the fucked up things that you did?”

He pulls his arm away and chuckles. “No. After the initiation…all I could think about was how can I get the fuck outta there. Rip all those fuckers who did me wrong apart, shit a big stinky pile of poop on HYDRA and never look back.”

“So? What changed your mind?”

He grins, shaking his head. “The same thing that changes every man’s mind. And turns him back into a little stupid kid. Makes him do stupid things.”

“What’s that?” I frown at him and it only makes him laugh some more.

“Love,” he spits the word out as if it burned his tongue. “What else.”

“I…wouldn’t know.”

“You see, I don’t think that’s true. I thought about you – don’t make it weird now, dude. I thought about…my memories of you the past year. There’s so much that doesn’t make sense to me. Things you’ve done…things I’ve done. So I have a theory,” he glances over his shoulder at the still displayed image of Tony Stark. “And I’m gonna prove it. While I’m doing that, I just need to know somebody is throwing enough punches at Captain Hydra for both me and Oph…I mean, the Viper.”

I consider his words. Everything he’s said. In the middle of this confusing mess, it’s the former fucking HYDRA agent’s words that are making sense. Someone pinch me.

“I’ll punch him good, don’t worry about that. Just…find him.”

“Will do,” he nods and walks towards the stairs. I’ve noticed he never takes the elevator. I wonder why.

“Hey, Crossbones?”

He swings around, his little grin still playing on his face. “Aye, Captain?”

“Did _you_ seriously call _me_ assface?”

He shrugs and stifles a laugh. “Yeah. Deal with it.”

I chuckle and wave him off. “Scram, before I rebuild your face with my metal fist.”

“Been there done that. So I’ll be off now,” he gives me a comical bow and heads up the stairs.

Ignoring the headache, my eyes linger a moment longer on the image. I didn’t say anything to the team. Didn’t have to say anything to Rumlow, apparently. But FRIDAY and the Soldier dug up more data than just the footage from the fight.

Lots more.

I fish out a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket, reading the simple message on it again, for the hundredth time.

‘ _Went to Maine. Don’t worry, Fry has our backs. We’ll be back in time for the retro play date! TS insisted it’s cookie time so, bon appetit ma belle amie!_

_Love, James’_

I don’t remember writing this – but that is without a doubt my handwriting. I don’t remember who I wrote this for either. So I suppose _that’s_ my answer. That and the fact DUM-E picked it up from the workshop’s desk drawer.

Tony Stark.

I might not remember who he is, but even Crossbones figured out he’s more than just another member of the team.

To me, he might just be the most important person I have ever had.

And if Steve took him away from me…then he’s got another thing coming. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am on vacation next week, so that means no update on Sunday :O I'll try to post the next chapter on Wednesday 23rd, but no promises! ^^


	16. Know what you've done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war is all but over...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S-s-s-s-sundaaaaay! ^^ S-s-s-s-steve's point of view! And s-s-s-summer is pretty much over, kinda like my poor vacation that I have indeed stayed one extra week on! O.o I'm so lucky I can't even...then again I guess I'm not, because I will die tomorrow at work :'D So while I am catching up with two week's worth of work stuff at the office, you can catch up with this next chapter here. Did I mention this is about to end soon? Yep...on a scale of Cindarella to Titanic, how happy of an ending are you expecting? :D Right now it kinda looks like Game of Thrones...
> 
> But I have promised fluff! Just think about that and chase away the fears! (Just don't think about how long that fluff will last :D)
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSMCc6F8mZ4&list=PLk09tmeXpLmDUiit5w4AwJOK_IFoxAMbL&index=1) _ **

 

**_xxxSteveRogersxxx_ **

****

“So much for otherworldly HYDRA being useful,” I scowl at the sight of the dead bodies laid out in front of me. Even Red Skull didn’t stand a chance. Why am I not surprised?

“Why, I do beg your pardon, Captain? We haven’t all fallen so low,” Viper says, poking her heels against the dead bodies.

Of course _she_ had to survive. I’d rather deal with the Red Skull, hell even Zemo. But it had to be Madame Hydra that came out of this alive, even disabling both Deadpool and Crossbones.

Now that was a fight I would have loved to see.

“Any reports on the Avengers?” I opt to ignore her, glancing at Fairfax.

“Just as predicted. They fell back to the Tower and seem to be in a little bit of a disarray.”

It’s not going to last long. With or without Tony, the team will regroup and likely strike first this time.

“I told you this would have the impact you desired,” Enchantress giggles from where she’s sitting at the conference table. “And more.”

Her and Madame Hydra have this in common. This annoying way of talking in deceptively sweet voices. Makes me want to crush them both.

“My desires are far from what you offered.”

“I know all about your desires, Captain. You’re not a humble man – you want it all. The fabled happy ending with the world at your feet and the man you are obsessing about going weak in the knees at the sight. Quite the romantic you are,” she snorts. “And yet, you seem to be choosing a different route, at least where your obsession is concerned.”

“Obsession?” Viper frowns - I almost forgot she was hit by the spell, too.

“He needs some time to think. Alone. It’s been just few hours here, but that might as well feel like forever in there, yes?”

“Time to think about what, exactly?” Loki speaks instead, so far keeping quiet in the corner. “I don’t need to possess Enchantress’s powers of perception to know he despises you more than anyone in this room right now. Perhaps even anyone on this planet, really.”

Of course the God of Mischief wouldn’t understand the schemes of the heart. “When I am the only person left on this planet that cares about him and will even set him free, he will reconsider.”

“Ah, yes. Only problem is, you are not the only person left on this planet that cares about him,” he points out, thinking he’s oh so clever.

“The only one that remembers,” I smirk at him, but it’s still nowhere near the smirk he is capable of – like the one just now.

“Perhaps. But he remembers them and most importantly, he remembers you and everything you’ve done. Even eternity in a place out of time won’t erase that.”

“Well, well, well,” Enchantress sings. “I could do something about that as well. Once our arrangement comes to a close?”

“Yes, let’s focus on that for now,” I suggest, noting Loki’s amused chuckling.

“The Avengers defeated you. Unless you are planning on sending them all to the same place you’ve sent Stark to, I don’t see how you plan on turning the proverbial tables. The spell does have a cooldown, does it not?” he turns his bright grin toward Enchantress.

“It doesn’t matter,” I step in. “We don’t really have to fight the Avengers.”

“We don’t?” Loki laughs, but this time it is short-lived once he spots my all too confident smirk.

“That was never the plan. After phase two, the Avengers are going to surrender.”

“Good luck with that,” Viper chuckles, striking a victorious pose over Red Skull’s body. “Unless of course you have some kind of leverage against them. This…Stark person, whoever he is?”

“Hardly a leverage now,” I shake my head. “There is something much simpler.”

“Nothing is ever simple when they are involved,” she frowns, exchanging a fleeting look with Loki.

“You are forgetting who they are, who the world believes they are. Superheroes,” I spit out. “And superheroes always save the day. This time around, they will have to surrender if they want to do that,” I glance at Enchantress, who nods, already knowing what I have planned.

 

* * *

 

 

It doesn’t take long to prepare everything. A little bit of magic and everything goes all the smoother. Why haven’t I thought of that sooner?

“Looks like they are on the move. Coming straight here,” Fairfax reports.

Well, that definitely saves us a lot of trouble. But it also raises questions – mainly how did they find out about this base? But I can deal with that later. “Give the cavalry the signal. Tell them rendezvous point is here in the end. And let’s go greet the visitors,” I prompt him, while he sends the quick message. 

The unmistakable whiz of the quinjet’s engines carries across the mountains surrounding the base and within minutes the abandoned concrete grounds of what once was some kind of a factory is swarmed by the A team, fully suited up and looking ready for murder.

Bucky walks at the front as expected, wearing the same Winter Soldier-like outfit as yesterday, my shield secured on his back the way I used to carry it. I’ll be having it back before the day is done.

Deadpool is nowhere to be seen, likely still recovering from whatever the Viper did to him, but that’s not a problem. He is of no concern. So except for Vision, who’s in pieces and Crossbones who’s dead I suppose, everyone else is here. Doctor Banner is still calm enough not to be turning green, but that could change any second.

They slow their advance, seeing only me and Fairfax standing there to meet them. They’d be foolish not to suspect foul play.

“Giving up already?” Barton stares us down, bow at the ready.

“Us? No. But you are about to,” I tell the archer.

“I don’t think so,” Bucky says, no hints of fear in his features. “Let’s get this over with, just you and me.”

I laugh, raising a hand in front of Fairfax to stop his potential angry advance. “That does sound very tempting, really. But we didn’t come here to fight you. Or anyone.”

“Yeah, right,” Sam utters, his wings still neatly folded. “Why wouldya be here then?”

“To say hello. And of course to watch your surrender. That should be quite the sight.”

“In your dreams,” Captain Winter growls.

“Aaaany second now,” I chant and right on cue, the sound of very different engines rip through the tense silence of the valley.

“We’re going to _kill you_ any second now,” Clint threatens, ignoring the approaching helicopters.

“Sure. You do that,” I nod, taking a step forward and spreading my unarmed hands in invitation. “You’ll do that, thinking you’ve won but really, you’ll be losing everything.”

Bucky glances at the helicopters, posture shifting nervously. “What have you done?!”

“Everything I promised I would. I took what belongs to me. First HYDRA, then the man you thought you could steal from me and now? The world.”

He frowns, but doesn’t say anything more as the helicopters start touching down on the clearing next to us with a loud roar of winds. Three or four special forces units pour out of them along with a few official looking suits.

“I’ve studied the Accords very closely, you see?” I tell the team when the helicopter engines fade somewhat. “Know what I’ve learnt? Even after the altered version was introduced by…someone you wouldn’t remember…the UN still has power over the team in certain, _unexpected_ situations. Such as two Asgardian Gods holding not one, not two, but twelve major European cities hostage. Good job clearing out New York, by the way. That earned you some good guys points again, but there really isn’t a place on this Earth you could evacuate all the people to for us not to find,” I grin as realization dawns on their faces.

“Captain Winter? We are here to forward an official request from the UN representatives for you to stand down and freely submit yourselves to the will of the committee. Surrender your weapons and please follow us to the Raft,” one of the suits approaches Bucky, while the tac team circles the Avengers.

Not that they would stand a chance against them. Scarlett Witch could handle all of them by just moving her pinky. But she’s not going to.

“I will if I’ll have to,” she says and why am I not surprised that she is sneaking around my head, again?

“We’re not gonna do that, Sir,” Bucky answers, his piercing gaze returning to burn through me. “We’ve come here for Captain Hydra and we’re not leaving until _he’s_ the one going to the Raft…or dead.”

“I fear I must insist, Captain,” the suit states, more vehemently now.

“Are you insane?! You do know who this guy is, right?” Clint barks at the official, waving a hand at me.

“Yes, he’s the guy who sent two Asgardians and a Hulk to Europe and is about to let them loose! Now, unless you plan on teleporting in there right this instant to stop them from leveling everything with the ground, you will give up your weapons and come with us. Please,” he adds in a pleading tone, addressing Bucky.

Said supersoldier looks back at me, his eyes betraying the shock..

I shrug, smiling. “I grew tired of fighting. Already got what I wanted yesterday so I thought we might move on.”

“What’s that, exactly? That you got?” he grits his teeth glancing between me and the increasingly nervous suit guy.

“You wouldn’t remember. That’s the beauty of it. You don’t remember. That is your thing, after all, and it’s for the best. But you can rest easy now, knowing that whatever it is you don’t remember, I will take a very good care of it,” I smirk and turn to the nearly shaking tac team. “Take their weapons and fly them away to the Raft. Now. They won’t give you any trouble, will you guys? Unless of course Europe and the hundreds of millions of people living there are of no concern to you, Captain Winter? In that case, we can still have that fight.”

For a second he looks like he’s contemplating sacrificing all of Europe just to fight me, but a moment later he signals the team to surrender, he himself offering his gun and shield to the main suit guy.

“I’ll be taking that. One final thing you still owe me,” I step forward and grab the shield. Howard _did_ make it for _me_. 

“This isn’t over,” he warns me, the rest of the team submitting their own weapons to the tac team.

That was easy.

“Yes it is. For you anyway. I’m about to have a nice, long chat with the UN and I expect things will move rather quickly after that. By this time tomorrow, you won’t have to worry about anything. Anything at all.”

I nod at the profusely sweating suit, prompting him to take them away before _Captain Winter_ comes up with some more useless threats.

“It’s not over, Rogers,” he repeats. “Whatever you’ve done to us, whatever the Enchantress has done to us? We know. So no matter what happens tomorrow as you say, someone _will_ put a stop to you. And someone _will_ bring Tony Stark back,” he adds and it’s his time to smirk when he sees my face freeze. “The man I stole from you as you’ve put it… _Tony Stark_? Well, we know. And we _are_ looking for him. Imprison us, kill us…someone will always be looking for him. Just something to think about while you’re celebrating your _victory_.”

The team gives me one last look of defiance before letting the tac team escort them to the copters and all I can do is watch their retreating backs in complete and utter shock.

“The hell is he on about?” Fairfax grunts and it only makes me angrier.

They weren’t supposed to remember!

No…they don’t remember. But _they know_. How the f…

“When you get confirmation from the Raft that they’re all locked up, send for the Enchantress. She’s got some explaining to do,” I tell Fairfax and storm off back to the base.  

If someone’s looking for Tony, then I’ve got measures to take and I better take them right now.

 


	17. Mine alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony gets an (un)expected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sunday came a little late these two weeks, but rest easy - after I have bitchslapped my internet provider and roundhousekicked him all the way to the neighboring solar system, here we go with the next chapter AND chapter 18 is gonna be uploaded this Wednesday! In fact, this little hiccup in my uploading schedule allowed me to take a look at the drafts of the next four chapters more thoroughly and I have found I have a couple more choices to uh...tune down the spice and I don't know...make it more rainbows, unicorns and pink butterflies friendly? In the end, I have of course decided to NOT do that and if this chapter here is not a proof of that, I don't know what is.   
> We haven't heard from Tony in a while...and where there's Tony, there's our faaaaavorite Captain, too. You didn't honestly believe him - or me - that he's all done with Tony, did you now? Oh boy, he is NOT. Watch out for the new warning tags...
> 
> Enjoy! <3 And don't forget to check the extra creepy soundtrack for this one O.o

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hkhrmmlDeI&list=PLk09tmeXpLmByXKYEQL-DTg5ut3Yrqtyn&index=1) _ **

 

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

****

It doesn’t feel like a long time. It doesn’t feel like any kind of time at all, actually. Being here just feels….empty. There’s nothing here. Nothing to occupy my wild mind, nothing to distract it or stimulate it – it’s an empty, dark room full of nothing else but my person.

The emptiness is one thing, but the silence? That’s the real killer here.

I tried talking to myself to at least hear something, but the more I did that the more I felt like going absolutely crazy, so at one point I just stopped.

This room feels like nothing – and I feel like nothing. I’m not tired, not hungry, not thirsty. It’s so weird.

And scary as hell.

Nope, I would probably prefer hell, you know – the comfy fires, boiling water, Lucifer with a whip about to read all my sins only to find out he would spend eternity doing that and that he’ll definitely need a bigger whip…yeah, hell sounds like fun.

Whatever this is, it’s closer to a living nightmare. Might as well be the definition of one.

Captain Asshole and his last little visit most definitely didn’t help me settle my fears. He was lying. He must have been lying. About everything.

The Avengers aren’t looking for me? Ridiculous! Bucky isn’t looking for me? Hell, he’s ripping the HYDRA overlord a new one right now somewhere, just for saying that. I think. Maybe.

I hope?

That’s where the Enchantress comes into play.

If Rogers said all that while the Enchantress was not a thing, then I would still be laughing into his face to this very moment. Problem is, the Enchantress is a thing. And the last thing I remember before waking up here is that alien, bright flash of light that I only wish was Wanda.

It was the Asgardian Goddess of…what exactly? Magicky bullshit? Yeah, let’s settle for that. So the Goddess of Magicky Bullshit did something and here I am now, stuck in fucking limbo. But what if that’s not all her magic has done? What if Rogers wasn’t lying and there really is nobody looking for me? Because nobody remembers me?!

That sounds right up the Enchantress alley of bullshit – mess with everyone’s head and condemn me to nothing for the rest of my eternal life.

Fucking perfect.

And who the hell even knows what’s happening out there right now? Maybe just few hours have passed on the other side, or maybe years. I don’t know which would be worse.

So I sit down here in the corner, contemplating life…and death…wondering if anyone even misses me or goes blissfully unaware that I’ve even existed. That just makes me so fucking angry.

Not because it means I will really be stuck in here forever, but because it means someone messed with Bucky’s head again! Fucking _again_! I swear if that bitch shows her ugly smirking face in here, I will rip her to pieces if it’s the last thing I do. Would be worth it. How dares she?! As if all that HYDRA crap we had to work through and around the past year wasn’t enough!

It’s like my furious thoughts decided to manifest themselves so a strange, almost thunderous sound echoes through the room. It probably wasn’t so loud, but after hearing nothing but my breathing and occasional shuffling from myself, it sounds like somebody slammed a gong next to my head.

The door…gate…thingie? It opens, giving way to the still funky darkness swallowing the walls. For a single second my heart skips a beat, hoping a friendly face appears in the mystical doorway, but of fucking course I had to summon one of the people I’ve been internally cursing.

“Back so soon?” I ask, hoping for a carefree tone, but it sounds hoarse and unsure instead. S’wat happens when I don’t speak for so long…I should probably start doing some stand-up comedy in here, pretend there’s an audience. That could be fun.

Captain Hydra, looking exactly like before, enters further into the room, the way out sealing behind him. “Missed you,” he replies, his face as genuine as Steve Rogers’s face can get. That’s the bummer about it – he is being genuine, or at least his brain thinks he is – but really he couldn’t give a crap about me at all. It’s a deluded ‘missed you’ with a special edition of ‘I’m actually here for another reason that I don’t want you to know so I’ll just throw in this secondary bullshit first’.

“I miss myself all the time. Can’t say I’ve missed you, though. I distinctly remember you saying something about never ever returning here…ever? Looks like that was a big fat lie. Wonder what else you’ve said was a lie, Captain Liar with fat pants on fire.”

“It wasn’t a lie. Just a little…incentive.”

Incentive to what, making me want to punch him in the face even more whenever he shows up? “Didn’t really work for you now, did it? Surely you didn’t think I couldn’t entertain myself here in the meantime and instead believing I would what? Fall into your open arms when you waltz in later because I was oh so bored and lonely? Get the fuck outta here,” I wave him off, rolling my eyes.

“You don’t really mean that,” he smiles and yes, yes infuckingdeed he only came back here so I would wanna punch him in the face harder and multiple times just to wipe that smile off!

“Try me,” I shrug, feigning a yawn.

“Yeah, I just might,” he answers without skipping a beat.

“What’s stopping you then? Afraid the Avengers will burst through the door any second? S’okay, anyone would be worried. I mean seriously, have you seen what Hulk can do with a piece of concrete? I would definitely be worried if I were you.”

“I’m not worried about the Hulk,” he shakes his head.

“Which only proves how stupid you are.”

“I’m not worried about the Avengers either,” he adds, taking a few more steps toward me.

“Do I have to repeat myself?” I scoff, watching his every move. Something about his sudden flare of confidence is…unsettling to say the least.

“It’s hard to be intimidated by someone who’s behind superhero-proof bars. Didn’t you hear the news? Apparently the UN ordered the Avengers to surrender and got them one-way tickets to the Raft. I personally loved what you’ve done with the place, the security and everything. They’re gonna have a blast in there.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Is it though? I might have tuned UN’s byrocratical powers over the team down to a minimum, but there are circumstances in which they could make the team stand down. But throw them in the Raft, while this guy is at large?! No way.

He smiles – that ugly, self-satisfied twist of lips that I never thought he was capable of before…before all this shit happened. “They had no choice, really. The UN and the Avengers both. Since lives of millions of civilians were at stake, they had to do the right thing. That’s what superheroes do after all. The right thing. So they surrendered and by now they’re enjoying the fabled hospitality of the Raft. See? I don’t need to be worried about them. By this time tomorrow, nobody will have to be worried about them _ever_ ,” his smirk widens as he maneuvers the shield over his shoulders.

Wait…the shield? Son of a bitch! “That doesn’t belong to you!” I bark at him, all traces of the nervous quipping and jokes gone.

“It does now,” he replies, face falling serious all of a sudden. “In a way, I am only taking back what is mine – what was always mine!” he shouts and I can’t stop the flinch. And it’s all the signs of weakness he needs to move forward, cornering me like a caught mouse. “HYDRA’s mine, the world is mine… _you_ are mine.”

“Fuck you,” I curse at him, but it’s feeble and desperate and we both know it.

He crosses the distance in two swift steps and a second later I’m pinned against the wall with his left hand against my neck, high enough my feet won’t reach the ground. I yelp, struggling against the suffocating force but it’s a futile fight. “You are mine now, Tony. _Mine_ ,” he whispers against my face. “There’s no one else; no one to care for you, no one to listen to you, no one to keep you company. No one to claim you. No one but me.”

“So much for being done with me,” I mutter, letting my brain fall into emergency Stark mode.

“Oh I was done with you…for a moment. Didn’t think everything would go so smoothly for me though. And now that the hard part is done, I can sit back and relax. And enjoy the spoils of war,” he whispers into my ear, his lips ghosting over it on purpose.

I squirm in his hold, but it’s no use. Nothing I can do can stop him from doing whatever the hell he wants with me. It brings enough terrifying memories to stop my heart with sheer fear. What can I even do? Fighting is not an option. Screaming? Nobody will hear me. And crying will only make this worse.

But I won’t just give up and make him think he’s won. “I’m not a thing to be claimed, the least of all by someone like you!”

His grip tightens at the words and I am met with a burning glare.

“Think whatever you want. That you conquered the world or whatever, but don’t think for a second that just because you locked me up here and the Avengers in the Raft, you have won. I am definitely not some kinda prize for you to collect. You can delude yourself into thinking it, but that will never make it real. To me you will never be more than a selfish, righteous brute gone mad. Someone I hate with every single fiber of my being, not someone I could ever hold close to my heart. I’m afraid that part of me already belongs to Bucky and that’s never gonna change. No matter what you say, no matter what you do…you can rest easy knowing that I will never believe anything else but that. Because everything about Bucky, everything about me and him, that’s real. And you, you’re one big fat lie that I am so done with!”

The intense fury that ignites in his deceptively angelic blue eyes is like nothing I’ve ever seen. He looks ready to murder someone and considering his options, I’m the first in line.

It would probably be the best option for me right now. For him to snap and bash my head in with _Bucky’s_ shield. But a sick fuck like him won’t skip on a chance to finish what he’s started here, no matter how much I agitate him.

“Everything about Bucky,” he spits out his name as if it burned his tongue, “is going to be in the past. Tomorrow. I don’t know how long that is here for you, but tomorrow back in my world, I will arrive to the Raft and watch them all die. The Avengers, one by one. Pretty Natasha, loyal Clint and Sam, honorable T’Challa and the angry Scarlett Witch. Your precious Rhodey, Pepper and that Queen’s kid, too. Thor will have a nice trip with the Enchantress back to Asgard and I’m sure my scientists will figure something out for the big angry green one. Oh but Bucky, do I have plans for him. I’ll kill him myself, but not before I make him suffer.”

He can’t do that. The UN won’t let him do that! Imprisoning them, that’s one thing. But straight up murdering them? In cold fucking blood?! No way!

“Is that disbelieve I see?” he chuckles. “Who’s going to stop me, Tony. Tell me. Who? Every person that could is in that prison waiting for execution. So as I said, I am not worried about anything. And neither should you. You know what? Maybe I should bring your beloved Bucky to you. After I’m done with him, bring whatever’s left here for you to see. You’re a man of science, right? You believe in what you can see and prove. Maybe a little piece of Bucky will be proof enough that everything I am saying is true, what do you say, dear?”

I don’t care about the tears that spill over from the carefully maintained dam, not even about the almost embarrassing whine escaping my throat. All of my defiance and snark disappears the instant I see how dead serious he is about what he’s saying. He might be deluded, but he’s not lying about _this_.

There’s no other reason he would have Bucky’s shield. The only way for him to have it back is because Bucky gave it up. Not in a fight, but a surrender.

They’re all going to die.

Nat, Rhodey, Pepper...oh my God and Peter?! Why didn’t I just tell him to stay home for this!

“Don’t,” I gasp, wincing at the broken, pleading tone. “Don’t do this.”

“Why not, Tony?”

Why not?! Because you’re about to kill every person I have ever given a damn about and I can’t let you do it?! I can’t…but what the hell _can_ I do?! Something. Anything. “I’ll do anything. Anything you want, any fucking thing! Just…don’t. Don’t kill them.”

For a fleeting second I see something akin to _sympathy_. A flash of understanding that is however instantly shadowed by that scary sneer. “Now that sounds mighty intriguing, Tony. Really. I am tempted to tell you everything that I want, because ohhhh there’s a lot that I would want from you. Not sure if you’d still offer this bargain after hearing all about it. Problem is that I believe you. I believe in your conviction, Tony. If I don’t kill them, if I don’t kill _him_ , you will never truly be mine. Because somewhere in there, you will still hope and pray and believe one day he’ll come for you and you will live happily ever after. You will never stop loving him and craving for him. So you see this is the only way. There’s nothing you can offer me that I don’t already have,” he adds and smacks his lips against mine, the same aggressive way I remember from before. “And everything else I’m just gonna take.”

And he does.

I don’t know what to say, what to do let alone what to feel. So I don’t. I don’t speak, or struggle or feel. Because that just might be the only way to survive this without going insane.

On second thoughts, I might not want to survive at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooookay...next chapter is going to be from the Viper's point of view, because I'm sure we're all dying to know what she's up to now and um...someone else, very special that is yet to make their move is finally gonna make it. You're going to like that one, I think :3 You've been onto that person since they've made their appearance and saw right through them and me, actually ;D So I decided to be evil and postpone their little intervention :3  
> Wednesday can't arrive soon enough, lemme tell you that...


	18. Not a hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The board is set and the pieces on the move...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the Wednesday update is here! <3 I think it speaks for itself, really, so without further ado, sit back and enjoy! ^^

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckCsw_JyJI&index=2&list=PLk09tmeXpLmBXTc1NJouaxw5dqqcvgTk5) _ **

 

**_xxxViperxxx_ **

****

“I am not sure I understand your disappointment, Captain. You have what you wanted. I have what I wanted. Or will have, in just a moment,” Enchantress shrugs, playing with the many bracelets on her left wrist as if the entire scene didn’t concern her in the least.

I maintain a similar image, sitting at the foot of the large table at the back of the room, legs crossed and arms folded. A spitting image of complete disinterest that I have mastered throughout the years. It’s a deception – on both mine and Enchantress’s part – a game we choose to play when we’re at our wit’s end and can’t afford to let it show. It is flattering really, that me and the Asgardian Goddess evil mastermind are so similar. We would be best of friends, in another time and place.

“They remember! _He_ remembers! You said they would never be able to do that!” Captain Hydra yells at her, a perfect contrast to our laid back attitude. Even Loki is just watching the scene, only his eyes are not of disinterest at all. He’s observing very carefully, clearly up to something. I’d expect nothing else from the God of Mischief himself.

“They do not, Captain. Just because they know his name doesn’t mean they remember him.”

“They said they’re looking for him! Another thing you said would never happen!”

“Behind bars and soon to be dead, tell me how exactly are they going to look for him?”

“You would think that, wouldn’t you? He said someone would always be looking for him, no matter what I do to them!” he shouts, his golden hair going wild with every jerk of his head.

He’s furious, alright. I bet he would be even more furious if he knew I’ve smuggled not one, but two members of the Avengers into this tacky, supervillain base without anyone noticing. There was no time to warn the Avengers about Rogers’s intentions, but it might be for the best. If we do our part well, we can easily set the Avengers free before it comes to the execution part and in the meantime, the Captain can go on thinking everything is going according to his plan.

Everything but the whole ‘they remember him’ bit.

Tony Stark.

No man has ever given me this big of a headache and I know Rumlow for HYDRA’s sake! Enchantress really did mess with our heads in all the wrong ways. If she was just a human, I would have already repaid the favor and messed with her for a change. As it is, I will settle for completely ruining their day by not only finding the elusive nonexistent man, this…Tony Stark…but also by setting the Avengers free.

Of course finding the man might be tricky, but that is my specialty after all. Being tricky is what I’ve been practicing since HYDRA initiated me as its agent. Tricky got me to where I am now. And tricky will get me out of this mess as well.

If El Capitano here thinks I haven’t noticed him disappearing in this base for five hours and then inconspicuously reinforcing security details on the fifth level below ground, then he must truly be underestimating me. A mistake people only do once and don’t live long enough to tell the tale.

Let’s see if you deserve the Hydra name, Captain. Let’s see.

“It is…unusual, to say the least,” Enchantress admits, her façade cracking a little. Seems like I shall be winning the game of pretense after all. “But after all the incredible tales about Midgardians I’ve been hearing on Asgard I am not too shocked. I would be disappointed, actually, if they haven’t somehow managed to surprise me a little with their…inventiveness. Human brain is so fascinating, Captain. The memories are, too. There’s only so much my magic can do. And anything non-human related is a big unknown in this regard. But as I said, it is of no concern. The team is at your mercy and if someone else is looking for him I am certain you are more than capable of stopping them. Or not?” she smirks.

“Of course I can! And I will. You just need to know your little magic trick is broken at best,” he calms down a little bit.

“Well,” Loki speaks up for the first time since this briefing commenced. “Performance issues, you know. It’s not uncommon when it comes to Tony Stark. One out of five, perhaps,” he chuckles to himself like he’s just said the joke of the year.

“Why don’t you dazzle us with _your_ magic then, Loki dear?” Enchantress challenges him, voice sweet but gaze sharp, piercing straight through the emerald-clad man.

Emerald is _my_ color. Me and the God of Mischief need to have a word about this. We’ll ask Forbes to decide who wore it better.

“Oh, no. I would like to believe I am capable of learning from mistakes of the past so I shall stay away from magic aimed at the Midgardians for some time.”

Didn’t go very well for him last time, from what I remember. If I can even trust what I remember.

“You’ will be returning with us to Asgard then? I am heading for the Raft in a minute to collect my prize and am going straight to there. Your brother shall be thrilled that you might be joining us,” she smirks, but Loki doesn’t seem to care about her teasing at all.

“My brother already seems to be beside himself with joy,” he retorts. “Captain, it’s been a pleasure. However, if you do not need my services any longer, I shall return to my own agenda as you say.”

Captain Hydra nods, glancing at him for just a moment. “Of course. That goes for you as well, Viper,” he squints at me.

“It’s been fun,” I smile at him. “But now that Red Skull is dead, I will have my hands full with reorganizing HYDRA back home.” Not that I am planning on going away to some alternate universe, no. Looking at Loki, I don’t think he’s planning on going back to Asgard either. Hm.

“You know where to find the portal. Faifax will show you the way if you get lost,” he waves at his right hand agent and do I have plans for that one. If I am quick enough. Brock already called dibs on him.

“I can find my way.”

“I believe we’re heading the same way for a time, I shall accompany you,” Loki offers and well well well. Now this is interesting.

“Please do,” I smile wider and nod at the Captain. “Fairwell, Captain. Lady Enchantress.”

I walk over to the door, where Loki is already waiting for me and let the man lead me outside, hand interlocked around his offered elbow.

 

**_xxxLokixxx_ **

****

“I suppose we’ll be parting ways here,” she says when we reach the proverbial crossroads. One way leading down to the portal, the other up to the surface.

“Indeed. Although I do not believe either of us is going where the Captain expects us to be going. Am I wrong?” I ask and search for any change on the woman’s covered face. Her eyes stay the same, wild and sparkling with what I recognize from miles away – mischief.

“You are not wrong. Question is, why are you telling _me_ this? Since you are not wrong, you could be telling the Captain or his lovely Asgardian ladyfriend. Score some loyalty points?” she answers without skipping a beat.

“Do I look like I need to _score loyalty points_ with anyone? No, especially not with the Enchantress.” Now that gets her attention.

She unwinds her hand from mine and faces me with clear interest. “She brought you here, helped you escape your Asgardian predicament…and the Captain even offered you your heart’s desire. Yet you don’t appear to like them very much.”

“How observant of you. A quality not many humans possess. I know for a fact you are not who you want everyone to think you are. Which is why you won’t be going anywhere through the portal because your home is right here, on this Midgard.” She doesn’t comment on my revelation, just waits for me to continue. “We could be of use to each other, I believe.”

“That depends. Just because we have our tricky and observational nature in common, along with our dislike for the Captain and the Enchantress doesn’t mean we want the same thing here.” She steps just a little bit closer, her mysterious face right in front of mine. “What _do_ you want, exactly?”

“Oh, many things. My heart’s desire is however not at all what the Captain offered. He thought he offered me the chance to do whatever I want, but in reality he offered me to do what _he_ wants me to do. I am not used to playing by other people’s rules,” he shrugs.

“Another thing we have in common, along with…with…with this darned headache,” she sighs, eyes shutting in pain.

“I assure you Tony Stark doesn’t play by the rules either, indeed. I like that about him, not that I would ever admit such a thing. I do wonder how you have figured out he is missing…something tells me you have even figured out where he is being kept.”

“It is a long story.”

“Yes…most intriguing I am sure. It is no secret that me and my brother have…a strained relationship. But if the Enchantress thinks I will stand by while she messes with him, she is mistaken. The only one that gets to do that to him is me. Besides, messing with someone is one thing, but messing with their heart? I can be cruel, I suppose, but even I wouldn’t go that far. That is just not my style, if you understand.”

“I do. What are you going to do about it then?”

“As we speak, the Enchatress is extracting my brother from your little underwater prison and leaving with him to Asgard. I can’t stop that from happening. I can however follow them through and deal with her there. Thor’s friends there will undoubtedly help me do so. Oh and the Captain…he lowered himself to the same level. He deserves to be punished as well.”

“I have a little something in mind for that,” she nods, the attractive grin coming back to life.

“Good. Let me lend a helping hand to that cause by setting the Avengers free. That oughta leave a bad taste in his mouth for a while, don’t you think?” I match that grin with my own and she looks more than pleased.

“Splendid. But do not think me a fool, Loki. I do not believe a word you are saying. It might be true, it might not…you won’t see me trusting you though, not in my time of life.”

“I would expect nothing less from a smart lady such as yourself. I will set them free, that is all. The rest is up to them and you.”

She nods, daring to slide a flirting finger down the side of my face. “Very well. Have fun.”

Now that is my kind of woman. Shame she’s not a little bit more…immortal and all that. “Oh I will. One last thing, Madame Viper. Knowing where to find Tony Stark won’t be enough to actually find him and bring him back. To open that door, you need someone…or something…that knows exactly who they are looking for. I would suggest your…artificial friend to try,” I advise her, out of the mischievousness of my heart.

“I shall keep that in mind,” she whispers, lips close enough to ghost over my chin. “Sounds like you could easily open that door yourself…,” she trails off.

“Oh yes, I could,” I shrug, never losing the smirk. “But I don’t want to. Besides, I have reputation to maintain. If my hand… _slips_ and _accidentally_ opens up the cells of the Avengers, well…these unfortunate _accidents_ happen all the time. If I were to bring Tony Stark out of the spell, one could hardly call that an accident.”

“One could, if everyone who’d know about it would…mysteriously die.”

I laugh turning away from her, stepping aside. “I like the way you think. Perhaps next time, when there’s space for such…frivolities such as mass murder and diabolical heroism. After all, I am not a hero.”

“Nor a villain. You just like causing trouble and you don’t care to whom.”

“Finally, someone who understands,” I look back over my shoulder to spy on her beaming grin.

“Until next time then, Loki,” she sings my name like it was made to roll off her unworthy, mortal tongue and instead of taking the elevator down, she rounds the corner and disappears in the poorly lit hallway.

Midgardian women…perhaps my brother is onto something there.

  

* * *

 

 

When I reach the prison, Thor is already gone. I have to give it to the Enchantress, she works fast. Considering how long she’s been dancing around my brother, trying to seduce him with her magic charm, it’s no surprise.

Moving around the guards is easy enough – after all, I am on the Captain’s side. Only fools think I am on anyone’s side but my own. And I despise fools more than I despise my brother or the Avengers.

Speaking of the Avengers, I do have to admit the sheer defeat on their faces as they’re held in these cells is a delightful image to my eyes. I should come around here more often. Not to execute evil plans but a little sightseeing maybe.

“Good evening,” I greet them and receive stone cold glares in return. “Come now, save the glares for Captain Hydra. He can’t wait to come see you.”

“What do you want, Loki?” Barton growls at me and if he could, he would walk through the bars to strangle me.

“Everyone keeps asking me that, as if it wasn’t obvious. I want to do what _I_ want to do. The Captain’s desire is also fairly straightforward. He wants you dead. All of you. He expects to come here in few hours and watch you die. He would love to kill _you_ himself, no doubt,” I turn to Captain Winter, who’s watching me with a frown.

I don’t know him at all, but I do know that next to Tony Stark, he is on top of Captain’s to-do list.

“So you’ve come here to gloat? Take a picture while we’re alive? Laugh at us? Your Asgardian femme fatale already did that for you so you can go now,” Barton dismisses me. Ah, I forgot he doesn’t like me very much. Considering our past I suppose I can’t be disappointed in the fact.

“I will deal with her in a moment. First, I thought I would do whatever it is I want to do. And right now I want to do this,” I reach for the control panel and disable the security, opening all the cells in the room.

Surprised and stunned is also a look I could get used to. Not as mesmerizing as utter defeat, but not bad either.

“The hell?!” Barton utters, but wastes no time getting out of the cell and into the witch’s to help her out of her restraints.

“I’ve already had this conversation with your former HYDRA friend so let’s keep this simple. You’re free to go. You know where to find the Captain so that shouldn’t be a problem. He’s sent most of his reinforcements back to their respective universes and the Enchantress is gone, so he can’t pull the same trick on you again. I’ll be heading off to Asgard to get my troublesome brother back. In other words, it’s all in your hands now.”

Captain Winter walks out, hesitant. “Thank you,” he says, but his eyes are suspicious. Good, not a fool then.

“Don’t think me a friend, Captain. Oh and I would hurry if I were you. The other Captain did look angry that you have figured out his scheme with Tony Stark, but at the same time he looked very, _very_ satisfied. That surely doesn’t bode well for the man you’re looking for.”

As I expected, it’s enough incentive for the Captain to signal the team and head out of the ward without any more talking.

“Good luck,” I call after them and with practiced movements I have carefully copied off of the Enchantress, I create a portal back to Asgard and enter.

The clock is ticking for all of us.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...that happened. The next chapter will be up on Sunday of course and if my calculations are correct - as if they ever were - we are looking at four or five more chapters! In other, more sinister words - the end is near! O.o


	19. Already gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two Captains meet for the final showdown, but the winner might still be the loser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sooo excited, and I just can't hide it ~ Yup, my dears, this is the Sunday update we have all been waiting for...kinda. There's oh so much more to come after this, but here's a liiiiittle something for now :3 Before the end....did I mention my all time favorite Marvel OST theme is the End of the Line from TWS movie? Well, guess what's on the soundtrack today :3
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

_**[>>>ChapterSoundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaH4W1rY9us&list=PLk09tmeXpLmBadePHkscDWtQvaa5ad9I2&index=1) ** _

 

_**xxxBuckyBarnesxxx** _

 

With Natasha’s help we manage to avoid the guards – there’s no telling which ones are working with the government and which ones are with HYDRA. The former Russian spy leads us through the corridors and vents and hidden emergency passageways as if she’s been working here for years and knows this place’s every secret. Knowing Natasha, she not only knows all the secrets of the prison itself but also guard placements, their shifts, CCTV areas, where all the exits are and where to go and what to do if one wants to escape.

Old habits die hard. But some are definitely worth keeping.

“So? What’s the plan?” Clint asks once we’re in the relative safety of one of the jets.

“What do you think?!” Sam scoffs, sitting next to him. “We go back to that base and fuck Rogers’s shit up!”

Clint thinks about if for all of two seconds before nodding. “Sounds like a plan to me. Captain?”

“That’s the plan,” I agree, letting Natasha take the pilot seat. “We’ll need a distraction if we want to leave this hanger unnoticed though.”

“Already on it,” Nat smirks and with a flip of a switch, she puts the radio signal on speakers.

“Captain! Good to hear ya’ll not just sitting on your asses in there!” Fury’s annoyed voice comes through.

“Good to hear _you_ are not!” Miss Potts berates him sharply. “Now help us get out of here before _I_ turn into the Hulk and leave this place in pieces on the bottom of the ocean!”

“I second that,” Bruce adds, obviously taking a great effort not to Hulk out. Yet.

“Ya’ll save that for the fight. I’m sure whoever’s in charge here now won’t like a fully weaponized helicarrier hovering over the ocean for long.”

True to his word, the hanger soon fills with groups of guards, entering their own respective jets to fly up and meet the helicarrier. Natasha wastes no time and takes off immediately, perfectly blending in with the deployed Raft personnel. The other jets take up defensive positions against the helicarrier and it’s all the time Nat needs to inconspicuously fly around it, kick in stealth mode and speed away.

“There, we’ll play around here for a while. Good luck, Avengers,” Fury wishes and cuts off the connection.

“Can you call FRIDAY?” I ask, taking a seat to the side of Nat.

“Sure.”

“Then please do. I’ve got a job for her.”

Rogers might have Tony Stark, but we still got Iron Man.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time we storm out of the jet on the same clearing we surrendered just hours ago, it’s already filled with what’s left of HYDRA’s agents. Captain Hydra is at the front of their lines, fuming with fury while staring at our newest ally – a very much empty, but fully operational Iron Man armor, courtesy of FRIDAY – but when he sees us, he all but explodes with emotions and none of them pleasant.

I couldn’t care less, to be honest. Everything about my former best friend is abominable. And to think he used to be the guy I would go to the end of the line for is just…surreal.

“I’ve made a huge mistake once. I trusted you. And I was deceived. Deceived into thinking you’re a completely different person,” I tell him as soon as we come within earshot without having to yell. “Guess that makes me a fool. Don’t know what does it make you…for trusting the God of Mischief to do _your_ evil bidding.”

“Evil is a matter of point of view.”

“Exactly. Loki’s pretty ambiguous in that regard,” Wanda says like it was a fact – and it probably is because of course she would spy into an Asgardian demi-god’s mind.

“Mistake I won’t make again,” he replies through gritted teeth.

“No. You won’t,” I assure him and glance sideways at Natasha. “You guys take care of his agents, Iron FRIDAY will go find and join the Soldier and the Captains are going to sort his out with each other. Aren’t we?” I turn back to Rogers with the challenge. He’s been hiding behind his agents and other-worldly minions until now; it’s time for him to do his own fightin’. Me against him should be fair enough, not that he deserves to be treated fairly.

“Great idea. I have promised a certain someone to bring your dead body along the next time I feel like visiting oh and after the last time, I feel like visiting a lot more often,” he smirks and pulls the shield from his back into a battle-ready stance. 

I ignore his apparent taunt and address the team instead. “Alright, go. And don’t come between us, no matter what, understood?”

“But Capt - ”

“No, Peter. Not this time. Stick to your teams and look out for each other. This is gonna go so much better if I don’t have to worry about you all.”

“Us against HYDRA agents? That’s almost unfair. I mean look at us. We’ve got the Hulk!” Clint points at the Big Green.

“HULK SMASH PUNY CAPTAIN!”

“See? Hell, Wanda could fight them off on her own and win!” Sam argues.

“Luckily she’s got a team that got her back so she won’t have to,” I berate them a little. “I know you all want a piece of him, but this was always my fight.”

Natasha smacks away whatever comeback Clint was about to make and nods. “We’ll handle the audience, you focus on him,” she sends the most murderous glare I’ve ever seen her make Rogers’s way and signals the team to take off.

Rogers doesn’t waste any time either. As soon as Iron FRIDAY flies away and the Avengers spread out to focus down his agent army, he rushes straight at me.

The years he’s spent fighting with the shield as his only weapon definitely show in the way he moves with it. In the park his attacks were a bit awkward and lacked aggressiveness, but here with the shield once again in his hands, he’s in his element.

And so am I.

Not too long ago I considered my fighting instincts alien and unwanted, but I know better now. It’s yet another part of me I have forgotten…the Winter Soldier. I block his flurry of shield attacks and sneaky punches with my metal arm with relative ease. This is what I’ve been doing the past seventy years in the name of HYDRA and now I’m gonna utilize every remnant of the programming to crush what’s left of the multi-headed organization.

I let him attack for a moment longer and then fall into the offensive.

The first punch sends him reeling, my metal fist connecting with his chest. He blocks off the next with the shield, the rumble of the two colliding metals ringing through the air. He sneaks in a kick combo, landing a hit to my stomach that sends me back a bit and that’s where it happens.

Something…awakens, right there at the back of my mind. It stirs and grows in the hidden depth until it’s suddenly all over the place.

The next punch that flies at Captain Hydra is not of my making. Or it no longer feels like it’s me. Something takes over, its cold fury aimed at Rogers with deathly precise punches and kicks, the metal arm throwing off moves I could never come up with.

Rogers is visibly shocked by the change, no longer capable of anything but defense and the momentary slip is all my independently moving body needs to gain the upper hand. At first opportunity it grabs at Rogers’s right hand, twisting it painfully enough for him to loosen his grip on the shield that I find in my own hand a second later.

The follow up move is so quick I almost don’t even catch it. The shield smashes into the Captain’s face with an audible crack, blood smearing on the metallic surface.

He goes down with a grunt, cringing at the pain. My body follows him down, straddling his waist, metal arm gripping onto his uniform and the shield comes up to strike again.

“You’ve lost!” he smirks, twisted and ugly, blood gushing out of his broken nose and blasted lips and cheeks.

The strange presence subsides, falling back just enough for me to regain control. I could easily finish what… _the Winter Soldier_ started for me. Bring the shield down once, twice, then again and again until there’s nothing left of this awful smirk. But I pause, the unsettling feeling I’ve had ever since we’ve returned to the Tower after the fight in the Park intensifies.

“You’re the one lying on the ground at my mercy,” I growl at him, but if anything, it only makes him smile wider.

“And you can kill me. You will kill me, because you know that’s the only way. You’ll win the war and lose everything else,” he laughs.

“Don’t listen to him and bash his fucking head off!” Clint shouts from somewhere behind me, sounding angry enough to materialize next to me and do it himself.

“Yeah, Bucky. Go on. Kill me. Kill me and know that the man you’re looking for - the one desperately waiting for you, hoping you’ll come and save him because why wouldn’t you since you love him so much – is gonna be forever lost to you. Kill me and you’ll never be able to find him. You’ll go looking, searching until you’re old and gray and you’ll die one day knowing he’s somewhere alive, wasting away still hoping to be found. By you. Go on then,” he challenges me and I don’t know what to make of it.

“He’s just stallin’, man, we’ll find Stark don’t worry!” Sam supplies as well and I wonder if the agents have been defeated already.

It’s not like I can take a look around, no. I am entirely focused on the bloodied face of my former best friend who might in his own words indeed be the only person that can ever lead me to…to…Tony. The man we’ve forgotten.

That I have forgotten and most definitely should not have!

“I’ll die a happy man, Bucks,” he chuckles. “This might not have gone according to my plan but at least one thing did. You’ll never take Tony away from me again. Because he’s mine. I _made_ him mine and there’s no way for you to undo that. You’ll never find him and so he’ll be left with the memory of _me_ all over and inside _him_ fresh on his mind for eternity.”

I can’t stop the stone cold presence from taking over again even if I wanted to. I want to, but at the same time I do see that bright glint of a blade appearing out of nowhere in Rogers’s hand.

So I watch from a front row seat as the Soldier smashes the shield against his face with so much force behind it I fear his head will come right off. The sickening crack is not just of breaking cheekbones or jaw, but his skull. The manic laughter the HYDRA Captain erupted in after his taunt stops, but the Soldier doesn’t stop there. He smashes again and again and again until I can’t even bring myself to watch the carnage he causes.  

When he stops, after what feels like hours, there’s absolute silence. I take a look at…something that was once alive and talking Captain America but no more…no…more…what the…

The last thing I remember before I black out is this:

_Operation Wings. A Top-priority Mission._

_Initiation Objective: Kill Steve Rogers - Captain America._

_Objective complete._

_Mission Objective: Recover James Buchanan Barnes._

_Objective complete._

_Additional Objective: Protect the Handler – Tony Stark._

_Orders: Complete additional objective._

_Mission deadline: None._

_Handler: Anthony Edward Stark. The Iron Man. Tony._


	20. Evil is a point of view

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky wakes up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so another Sunday goes by, another chapter is up and wow. It's been one hell of a journey! For everyone involved. Guess what I'm trying to say is that the inevitable is here and the next Sunday might just be the last Sunday of them all. 
> 
> For this story here, anyway ^^ Story that's been with me for well over a year now O.o Still, with the WinterIron Holiday exchange and my completely NOT forgotten WIP Love was made for me and you, there's so much to look forward to <3 Not to mention I'm already cooking up even MORE WinterIron angst than ever (get ready for a little preview next week ^^) so...there's no stopping me :D Operation How To Woo Your Handler is however meeting its end. 
> 
> Happy? Bittersweet? Sad? Well...we still have a week to find that out so in the meantime, let's see what happened after last week's climactic events!
> 
> Enjoy! <3

 

**_[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=latyQyiHwyI&list=PLk09tmeXpLmAzsTVhIRaQxw9qQuI_gjGN&index=1) _ **

 

_“Ahhh, well look at that. Fascinating, truly fascinating. Don’t give me that look, Asset, I am talking about you of course,” his mechanic…Zola…tells him, his eyes lit up with curiosity as they scan over the results._

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“Oh don’t worry about that. Here I thought I could wrestle control over the brain…in the end, the brain always wrestles control back. Truly amazing.”_

_“Have I failed your test?”_

_“I suppose you did. My colleagues would certainly think so. But I don’t. I knew you could never completely forget. Since the Captain is already dead you will never completely remember either.”_

_“I not don’t remember anything. The Asset has no memories. Just missions and reports.”_

_Zola looks at the documents again and smiles. “Bucky Barnes would beg to differ.”_

_“I do not know who that is.”_

_“No. You don’t. But he knows who you are. Still alive and kicking in the prison I’ve fashioned for him. Tell me, what’s your designation? What’s your…job? Your purpose, I mean.”_

_“I am the Asset. I do what the Handlers tell me to do. That is my purpose.”_

_“And yet, here you wrote that you are a soldier. Not the Winter Soldier, just soldier. And you do what your superior officers tell you to do. You serve your country,” he looks up from the documents and the Asset frowns._

_Did he write that? Why would he…he’s not a soldier. He couldn’t have written that._

_“Don’t worry, Asset. This can be our little secret. Wouldn’t benefit HYDRA in the least if others were to know about this,” he takes the documents and throws them into the fireplace. “As long as you follow orders and fulfill your purpose they won’t ever have the need to question your allegiance. These results don’t matter. Come now, time to go to sleep.”_

 

 

**_xxxBuckyBarnesxxx_ **

 

I wake up with the biggest headache I think I’ve ever had. Though that one mornin’ after we got completely hammered at the docks after working from dusk till dawn comes real close.

“Hey Nat, he’s awake!”

“’Course I’m awake,” I grunt, sitting up. When my vision finally clears, I recognize the dimly lit interior of the common floor’s living room.

“Of course?! Dude, you’ve been out of it for almost a day!” Clint flails where he’s pacing in front of the sofa.

Wait…what?! “A _day_?! What the hell are ya talking about?!”

The events of…yesterday, apparently, come crashing down on me and if Clint looked like he was freaking out just now, I don’t wanna know what I must look like.

“What happened?! Why are we back here?! We have to go find Tony and and - ”

“Calm down,” Natasha’s soft voice breaks through my rising panic, her hand resting on my shoulder. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“What?! I - ” I killed Steve. No. The Soldier killed Steve. “I remembered,” I breathe out, focusing on the weak, but very much alive presence in the back of my mind. “I remember everything. HYDRA, the war…Tony. I remember Tony! We can go and find him now! We can - ”

“Bucky! Just calm down!” Natasha commands, coming around to face me. “We all remember now. A little after you passed out we remembered. Team ex-HYDRA got way ahead of you and they found Tony, brought him back…,” she trails off, face unreadable.

I look at her and the still pacing Clint and any notion of celebration evaporates from me. “So why are you lookin’ like someone died?”

Clint abruptly stops and the two spies exchange a look.

“Oh no…someone died?!”

“Don’t panic, just…listen. Tony’s in his room with Bruce and Rhodey, he’s…not hurt.” But he’s not okay, is what she’s trying to say. “The others are asleep, I hope. These past few days have been crazy, they need the rest.”

I sit back, relaxing just a little bit. “So what’s with the gloom?”

“S’fucked up, man,” Clint mutters, obviously not expecting to be heard. “S’not fair.”

Natasha stabs him with a sharp look, shutting him up. “The whole base was rigged. When the remaining agents inside realized the fight is over and lost they ran for their lives…but not before setting a self-destruct in the base.”

“Team ex-HYDRA got stuck in the underground levels with Tony, fighting off some guy…Fairfucks? I don’t know,” Clint supplies. “You’ll have to ask Viper about the details of what the fuck happened down there. Long story short, FRIDAY got her and Tony out.”

“The Soldier and Crossbones didn’t make it up before the whole place went up in flames. The base is a crater now…SHIELD is going through the rubble but it’s unlikely anyone could have survived that.”

The Soldier is an AI. Sure, he took over Ultron getting himself a body for a while, but even if that body had been destroyed the Soldier was not. There’s that back-up server the metal gang has for situations exactly like these, after all.

But Crossbones…

“You’re awake. Good,” Wanda appears in the doorway, not looking like she’s got a proper good night’s sleep at all. “You two should go rest. Me and the Captain need to talk.”

“I want to see Tony, we can talk later,” I try to dismiss her, but as I get up, she blocks my way.

“Not before you hear me out,” she says, exchanging a look with Natasha. The two SHIELD agents clear out of the room, leaving us alone. “He’s asleep anyway. Considering how long that took to happen, I wouldn’t disturb him now. He’ll still be there in the morning you know?”

“I know…so why does everyone look like they’re about to tell me the worst news of my life?! I wake up to see the damning gloom on Nat’s and Clint’s face and now you walk in lookin’ more serious than Fury on bad days!”

“Sorry. First, I know you’ve just woken up from an almost coma so I will forget you telling me I look like Fury. Second, before you go anywhere near Tony, you need to know something.”

“I know.”

“No, you need to - ”

“Wanda, I _know_. As I said…I remember everything. And I can be clueless sometimes, but Rogers was not very subtle about this. About…what he’s done.”

She stares me down, no doubt doing her little mind-invading thing…I can’t even pretend to care anymore, this kid’s unstoppable. Fiercely unstoppable.

“You care about him,” I breathe out, watching her tiny frown melt away.

“And I suppose that’s…really surprising. Coming from me?”

“A little. Good kinda surprising. I’m glad. And I’m saying this as one former HYDRA puppet to another.”

“You were the puppet. I joined voluntarily, remember that?” she looks down, cringing.

“And then you blasted HYDRA sky high. Voluntarily.”

“What does that say about me? Changing sides whenever I please…”

“Happened once.”

“…making rushed, bad decisions…”

“We were all young at one point.”

“…and I couldn’t save my brother, couldn’t save Tony…couldn’t save Vision.”

“Wanda!” I raise my voice just the slightest to get her attention. “Pepper told me what happened during the fight. Honestly? You did everything you could. You saved us all, because I don’t see any of us capable of fighting off the evil Wanda.”

“Evil…she was me. She was the me before Ultron. Angry at the world. Not evil. She loved her brother, too.”

“Sorry, you’re right of course…bad choice of words…day in an almost-coma, right? But I meant what I said. You did everything you could. For all of us. Now it’s my turn to do everything I can to make it better so let me go see Tony.”

She sighs and steps out of the way. “Don’t wake him up, or I’ll kill you,” she warns me and she definitely means it.

“Yes, ma’am.”

  

* * *

 

 

He may be asleep, but it’s nowhere near a peaceful slumber. His face, the face I have forgotten for two damn days, is scrunched in pain. Before I sent Bruce to bed, he assured me Tony isn’t hurt…physically. That pain right there is not of any visible wound. I just wish I could hug it all away this instant.

I wish it would be that simple.

Instead I have to will myself to just sit at the side of the bed, watching. I don’t even dare touch and disturb his already disturbed sleep and not just because Wanda would rip me to tiny pieces if it woke him up.

I’m scared if I so much as shuffle any closer this will all disappear. He will disappear. Again.

And I wouldn’t survive that.

A low crinkling sound breaks through the silence and my head snaps to the doorway, ready to assess any kind of threat. As if anyone dared enter this floor with ulterior motives right now.

At least not without having a death wish. And staring at Viper right now, I still can’t decide where she stands in that regard.

Her eyes flick to the form neatly cocooned in the blankets and then snap to me a second later. She holds up a fancy brandy glass, the ice cubes inside making the same sound as before and gives me a sideways nod, silently telling me to follow her.

I don’t want to go a single step further away from Tony right now, but at the same time if this woman makes one more noise I swear I will be hauling her through the window before Wanda can even get up here. And I can’t say I really want to do that so I get up, slowly and carefully and back away to the door, only taking my eyes off of the man when I round the corner.

Viper has already retreated to the outside balcony, her hands full with the glass and a bottle of vodka. I almost haven’t recognized her. She’s not wearing the emerald suit and she’s not even wearing her usual, posh HYDRA outfit. A simple T-shirt and sweatpants… _sweatpants_! Hair messy and no make-up at all…it’s the most casual I have ever seen her.

I follow her in there, sliding the doors closed behind me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, not meaning to sound harsh but it just slips out.

“Keeping watch. Everyone’s taking shifts, you know? Don’t want to leave him alone.”

“Not sure I’d want to leave him alone with _you_ ,” I glare at her a little, leaning against the railing.  

She chuckles and downs the shot. “I understand,” is all she says which is unexpected, really.

The way I remember Madame Hydra is quite different. She might have changed names, even left HYDRA behind, but she as a person didn’t change all that much. Not at all. Confident, bossy, dangerous. Mostly dangerous.

That’s how I remember her. Or the Soldier. Tonight she seems more like a lost puppy than one of the most dangerous Handlers the Soldier’s ever had.

“I imagine that is why that archer person is huddled in the vents right now, making sure I behave? How…bizarre.”

That makes me chuckle for a change, maybe even relax a little bit, as much as one can around this woman anyway. “Got that right. Clint can best be described as bizarre.”

She pours herself another glass and sets the bottle next to me. It’s an invitation that she knows I won’t accept, but makes it anyway.

“Thought you’d be with Fury at the…site.”

“What for?” she frowns.

“Do I seriously need to answer that?” I give her a daring look that she returns without blinking.

“Moving rocks isn’t exactly in my field of expertise. If I were to hang around every ‘site’ Rumlow has ever let blow up and crumble on him I would be doing nothing else.”

She says it like she’s not even worried about the man and to anyone else it would be an indication of her believing Rumlow is going to emerge from the rubble any moment now, alive. I know better than that. Or Fury knows. After Project Insight failed and Rumlow was buried alive underneath a high rise and a helicarrier, she was the first one there to see him unburied and taken care of.

In other words, she knows that’s not gonna happen this time around. And she’s handling it and dealing with it the only way she knows how.  

Pretense and vodka.

“I’m sorry,” I say, knowing there’s not much else to be said here. It’s a genuine sorry, despite all the history between us.

But just like Wanda has gotten a chance I can’t deny one to Viper and Rumlow. After all, they took the initiative first. To help us back when the Avengers got imprisoned by Zemo, they helped us fight back when Rogers took over HYDRA and without a doubt they helped us when we have all forgotten Tony.

He’s alive and right here thanks to them. And I’m willing to look past our differences and history just for that alone.

She laughs, the sound nothing like an actual laugh. Bitter and stale. “Why? You should grab a glass and celebrate. The Winter Soldier would.”

She’s right about that. The Soldier is…I don’t know what he is right now. He’s not the intimidating, solid presence of old that would talk back at me during our recuperation after Insight. I just know he’s there…and I know he is most definitely not shedding any tears for Rumlow. But…

“I’m not the Winter Soldier. Sure. He would have plenty to celebrate. Me, I’ve got plenty to be grateful for.”

She gives me that strange, calculating look that even Natasha haven’t mastered yet. “Zola was right about you. Not the Soldier. You, specifically.”

“Zola?” I remember him now. I remember most of my time with HYDRA more vividly than ever before. “He’s the one who created the Soldier.”

“And Project Wings. He’s made many reports on the Soldier’s behavior. And yours, before he took those…drastic measures. He described you with a single word: relentless. At one point he even told the Handlers it was a mistake to pick you for the programming because it would have been easier to turn a rock into HYDRA’s puppet than you.”

I shake my head, lips quirking just the slightest. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Yes. You do that. Now leave me with my bottle of endless sorrow and go back to your man. That room we found him in was pretty dark and dull. It would probably be for the best if he didn’t wake up alone.”

I nod, exchanging a fleeting look with her before I go back inside. “Why don’t you make yourself useful, Legolas, and go have a drink with the Viper, hm?” I squint at the vents that remain silent for just a few seconds.

“Maaan…fine,” comes out a muffled reply and with the most silent of moves, Clint makes his way through the vent and outside straight onto the balcony.

I return to my place at the side of the bed, relieved to see Tony’s still there, haven’t even moved one bit.

 _Evil is a point of view_.

There’s only so many things that I can ever trust about my memory of Steve Rogers. But when he said that, he was right. Half a year ago I would call Viper evil and Rogers my best friend. Today it would be a different story.

Feeling brave enough, I reach out to Tony. First just to tuck the blanket around his shoulders a little tighter, but I let my hand linger on his, cold and shaky one. Grounding and reassuring.

And I won’t ever let go. Not until Tony tells me to himself.

 


	21. Here 'til forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, when you find yourself at the end of the line, you find another one begins there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! <3
> 
> So tl;dr, shit happened, then when it unhappened, I re-read the last chapter before wanting to post it and I decided I didn't like it anymore, so I re-wrote it and I'm still not sure how much I like it, but here it goes anyway because it's been just TOO. DAMN. LONG.
> 
> With that out of the way, I hope YOU will like it...and as much as I would have loved to add waaaaay more cuddles and some cute and nice sexy time, I am historically bad at those so I decided to spare you of that. I would love to read one, but I can't write it :D I'm the angst person and now that the angst is...kind of over...not really though...or maybe it is :D Anyway, now that fluff should happen, I am lost, so...someone send help ;D
> 
> Thank you, all of you who found the time to comment or leave a kudos, I cannot describe with words alone how happy it's made me feel every single time! Just the fact alone that you have enjoyed this silly scribble of mine just blows my mind, still! I'll try to catch up with all of you and your awesometecular comments I have missed previously throughout the next weeks and now that this mission is over I'll see you's around here ... until the next one <3 Love ya!
> 
> ~Lantia
> 
> PS: final POV from the Soldier, because he's the one that started it all...remember? <3

[>>>Chapter Soundtrack<<<](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-wy_6bvHEE&index=2&list=PLk09tmeXpLmDd--QaS-TTHWogpQzC3X-z)

 

 

**_xxxTonyStarkxxx_ **

 

It should probably alarm me – waking up curled around a cold piece of metal as if it was a teddy-bear – but there’s this strange part of my brain I can now recognize as sanity, that screams at me to hold on and never let go. One could probably question the poor state of my sanity, if it’s telling me to hold on to hands down the most lethal weapon I have ever created.

Heh. _Hands_ down.

Now that I think about it, maybe I _should_ be questioning my sanity too. If only I wasn’t one skipped heartbeat away from panicking and that comfortably cool metal arm wasn’t the one thing keeping me from the edge. It could snap a person’s bones with two fingers or rip someone’s spine right out and I’m lying here hugging it like a plushie, sanity be damned because fuck it!

The metal arm means I’m not stuck in whatever circle of Hell that was.

It means Tron-Soldier busting through the doors with team HYDRA love-birds was not a dream or a desperate figment of my imagination.

The metal arm means I am home and not forgotten and safe because metal arm means _Bucky_ and Bucky is _home_ and _safety_ and… _real_.

I can hear the tiny, silent mechanisms working within the arm – the soft clicking sounds would usually be drowned in whatever white noise of the room, but with my ear pressed against it’s all amplified. Especially after hearing nothing but myself in the past…three days? Or so the Soldier told me.

Three fucking days that felt more like three years. Three years of hearing nothing but my breathing and rambling and crying and…yeah, this arguably annoying mechanical clicking along with the steady, soft breathing of the man half sprawled on the side of the bed next to me is music to my ears.

So I let it wash over me for…I don’t know how long. My sense of time got severely fucked and the room being dimmed by the shutters isn’t helping. Could be the middle of the night or a late afternoon; all I know is I don’t wanna fall back to sleep, just in case this really is just a messed up dream of some sort.

I allow the panic to subside, lulled by the two simple sounds accompanied by the barely audible rush of the city outside, and once I’m calm enough and my vision clears of the watery blur I zero in on the wild mess of long brown hair in front of me.

This is so not how I imagined waking up next to a sleepy bed-haired Bucky, thank you very much. And I did a lot of imagining of that and…the events leading up to it. Someone’s gonna pay for ruining this for me and I can think of a few names already.

Maybe I shouldn’t do too much thinking right now.

It’s ruined. Everything. All of it. Me. All of me. This…whatever this is…was…could have been. Yep, definitely need to stop thinking. Can’t think, can’t sleep…what _can_ I do?!

I close my eyes, forcing the tears back again and without thinking about it – good job me – my right hand, the one not currently being gently held onto by the metal one, reaches out towards the messy head and buries itself in the tangled locks. I let it comb through them just the slightest, the touch light and hesitant, not wanting to wake him up.

But the supersoldier stirs at the first feathery touch and still in his sleepy stupor, he makes the most heartbreaking of sounds that I could only ever describe as a whimper. The bad, real bad kind.

Until this very second, I thought me clinging to his metal arm might be the only thing keeping me from shaking with panicky tremors and the serene calm of the room and the sheer safety it emits might be why I’m not a crying mess balled up in the corner – and I’d be right. Everything my traitorously perfect memory provides me with is enough to make me feel broken beyond hopes of repair but then he makes _this fucking sound_ and it’s where I really feel something shattering inside.

So I might be fucked up – like hey, what’s new? I couldn’t honestly care less about that right now, because that whimper blanks my brain right out, the panic, the fear, the hopelessness – fuck all of it. The whimper coming out of from this man is unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable. And if I have to initiate Soldier-mode to undo it then so be it!

“B’ky?” is all my voice is capable of producing, but it seems to be enough because the next moment I am met with wide eyes that might as well be a flat-screen projecting the storm of his thoughts and emotions in big, flashing red letters.

“Tony,” the supersoldier chokes out, as broken as can be and reaches out, enveloping me in a hesitant half embrace from where he sits and I desperately return the gesture. It’s awkward, the way we’re both splattered on the edge of the bed, just our heads touching at the side and hands circled around our necks.

It’s not enough.

I need to know he’s real and right here and breathing, if only to prove it to my still dubious brain. So I shuffle from the bed until I’m sliding off of it next to the sitting man who startles at first, but this time doesn’t hesitate to rearrange us so I’m nestled in his lap, his hands wrapping around me tight in a proper hug that pulls me close enough to rest my head against his chest and hear his rapid heartbeats.

I don’t mean to break the fragile dam of tears, but it takes just one breathy sob from Bucky to let go of any control I thought I’d have and set the flood free.

We’re a mess; crying and sobbing mess on the floor hugging like there’s no tomorrow, rocking back and forth. Bucky whispers through the sobs, a devastating ‘I’m sorry’, over and over and I want to stop him, kiss whatever he’s apologizing for away, tell him he doesn’t have to be sorry for anything, ever, but I can barely breathe through the tears and choke on any words I try to say. So I just hold onto him tighter, mirroring his hand that’s comfortingly circling my back.

When I can finally form a decent thought, the sobs turning into quiet whimpers, I shift a little, moving to lay my head on his metal shoulder with a shaky sigh. Bucky’s warm and cool at the same time and I really missed that strange, though likable combination. But most of all, Bucky is _safe_. His arms around me feel safer than any armor I’ve ever created and worn. They’re strong, dangerous…but they’re gentle whenever I‘m involved. They caress, comfort, shield; never strike, never hurt. They’re safe. Bucky is safe.

And I’ve almost forgotten what safe feels like.

I let that sink in for a while – _safe, real, home_ – and when sleep decides to take me again, I don’t fight it because I know I don’t have to. I’m home and I’m safe.

 

 

 

The next time I wake up, it’s to hushed voices that I all recognize. The Avengers. When I chance opening my eyes, they are indeed all here, standing or sitting around the room, but only Rhodey and Pepper dared to approach and sit on the bed, where I’m neatly folded against Bucky. I catch his eyes – tired and watery, but alive and sparkling with their subtle bluish gray.

It’s the smile that forms on his lips as he stares down at me that really wakes me up. “Hey there, soldier,” I manage in a mere whisper, but it’s enough to widen that smile into its ultimate beautiful glory.

“Hi,” he replies and completely ignores whatever question Natasha has just finished asking him. A bold move - not a lot of men live to tell the tale that involves ignoring Natasha. Bruce would be the only one until now, really.

“Tony!” Pepper blurts out, momentarily followed by the team’s accompanying shouts of my name and within seconds I’m huddled in one gigantic Avenger pile.

Bucky’s startled chuckle is worth being almost squished to death though.

“Hey, guys,” I mumble into someone’s hair, trying to stifle a sneeze. The hair smells like citrus and grass and there really is only one person that would use such a boring shampoo. “Your hair tickles, Wanda.”

“Get over it,” comes a reply, but the witch still moves a little to the side to free me from her curls.

Bruce takes over once the hug is over, checking me over with a serious expression only he can wear so coolly. He nods in what looks like satisfaction and orders everyone out to have breakfast. “That includes you,” he turns an unamused glare my way when he spots me shuffling back into the cushions – and Bucky.

I pout with all my might, making the doctor laugh and look up behind me, clearly seeking help from the highest authority.

“Come on,” Bucky whispers into my ear, standing up without letting go of my arm. “The Soldier has been baking for two days straight; someone’s gotta eat all of it.”

“Huh, just like old times,” I sigh and let the supersoldier help me up and out of the room.

“Yeah. Him and FRIDAY are back to googling recipes. I’m glad not to be a physical part of that anymore. Although I really enjoyed watching someone I knew was created by HYDRA to be a weapon sprinkle M&M’s on donuts he made himself…wearing an apron and all.”

I don’t know where it comes from, but I let out a howling laugh, almost walking straight into a wall instead of the elevator. “No kidding,” I wheeze out, remembering how seriously the Soldier handled his cooking missions back when he was sharing his every experience with Bucky. “Hang on,” I freeze, finding my brain seems to be well rested and operating at full speed once again. Because _hang on a second there_. I look at the supersoldier who’s now openly grinning like a madman, while Bruce gives me a subtle wink. “You…you remember that. You _remember_ that?!” I repeat, loud and shocked.

The elevator opens in that very moment to reveal the startled Avengers, one alert Soldier in Ultron’s battered and mangled body, but a body nonetheless and a nonplused Madame Hydra leaning against the bar with a glass full of my favorite brandy.

But fuck the brandy, Bucky _remembers_! The time…before Project Wings was finished?!

The man in question just shrugs, nodding.

“You remember,” I whisper, repeating it again as if to make it real…because it can’t be, he couldn’t have remembered. Sure, he had some snippets of the memories and feelings, weird remnants of silly things like kitchen cabinets and whatnot. No _actual_ memories though.

“I remember. HYDRA, post-HYDRA, all of it,” he gives me a small smile this time and moves us to sit in the lounge instead of the kitchen. The team visibly relaxes, seeing my outburst was not anything serious…well, not _bad_ kinda serious, and they take their own seats.

“How?” I ask, brain already trying to work the mystery out but unsuccessfully.

He sighs, falling further into the cushions, his metal hand clasping mine without thinking twice about it. “It’s a long story. As far as these past few days go, I’d say we all have a long story to tell.”

“I’ll go first then, since we have the time,” Madame Hydra, of all people, starts and her face twists with one of those oddly disturbing grins. “I didn’t die, then I infiltrated the new HYDRA, backstabbed an old acquaintance, backstabbed all of HYDRA, saved you all and watched my only friend explode into atoms. It is quite the short story where I am concerned,” she shrugs and helps herself to another shot of the brandy.

She can have the entire bar for all I care, it’s still less than she deserves. Although she did owe us from before she had a change of her evil heart…or whatever the hell that was. Something to do with power play no doubt. And maybe…possibly…Rumlow. A little. I don’t even know.

Judging from the team’s lack of a response, they too are still baffled by the former HYDRA leader. But after an appropriately awkward silence we all take a turn to talk about the events. Even Fury materializes out of nowhere at one point, like the alien ninja overlord he is.  

It isn’t the most pleasant talk. We fill in the blanks of the past days and by the end of it we fall into this not at all comfortable silence, everyone trying to sort and deal with the events in their own head. I don’t even know what to deal with first.

My sanity is a scattered mess.

Vision is a pile of metal pieces in the workshop.

Rumlow is a pile of ashes along with that HYDRA base and everyone that was in it when the blast leveled it.

There’s no news from Asgard yet so for all we know Thor is who knows where with the Enchantress and Loki might not even be actually doing anything about it. Because who the fuck would trust Loki?!

Oh wait. Yeah. _He_ did. And now he’s dead.

Captain Hydra is dead. Super dead – in Clint’s words.

That’s probably the only good news yielded from this conversation. That and the fact Zola trolled again and failed to condition the final part of Project Wings properly so when Bucky killed Captain Hydra the whole thing came back up to the surface, not just the memories – the Soldier apparently as well. That little information might have made my day, really.

But nobody looks like celebrating. Or even breathing sighs of relief.

Not yet. It’s too soon, it’s too raw. This is going to take more than a while to digest if everyone’s grim face is anything to go by.

Hell, I feel like I could drop dead right here right now and be actually happy about it because every cell in my body screams this is just too much to take, too much to handle in a lifetime. Death would be easy. No more pain. No more panic inducing memories and nightmares. No more _life_.

No more Bucky and his smile. No more Rhodey and Pepper. No more Avengers and the metal gang, no nothing.

So maybe death isn’t as easy as I thought. It’s a pretty shit deal in fact.

I’m not done here. Not even close.

I look into my lap where my fingers are intertwined with metal ones in a gentle, but grounding hold and decide this is not going to be the end of the line for me. For us. It’ll be a rocky, strenuous beginning of something, but a beginning nonetheless.  

 

 

**xxxTheSoldierAIxxx**

 

 

“You’re just jealous,” the Soldier stares at the madly beeping bot. “Of course my body is superior in all regards now. Body and mind, apparently. Take that back or I will crush you into tiny little scraps of - ”

“Ooooookay, that’s enough kiddos!” Tony scolds them from the other side of the workshop. He doesn’t look their way, his focus entirely on the reassembled body of Vision, still laying lifeless on the workbench. “I swear I’ll swap your cores if there’s one more jealous outrage in here!” he threatens and the Soldier stiffens. Surely Tony is not serious about that.

“And risk DUM-E having a functioning, half-weaponized body to roam around with? Good luck with that,” Bucky snickers, also just barely paying attention to anything but the book he’s quietly reading in the corner.

“Ah yeah, there’s that. Never mind then, I’ll just disassemble you both into scrap metal! Should have sent you back to FRIDAY,” he squints at the Soldier and his now fully repaired body.

DUM-E lets out an apologetic beep and wheels away from them.

“Go Tony,” Bucky smirks, giving the engineer a look the Soldier can’t decipher. “How’s it going over there?”

The Soldier perks up, eager to hear the news of their comrade’s recovery, but Tony’s long sigh diminishes his hopes in an instant.

Tony turns around to face Bucky, face unreadable. “Well…the extra vibranium did the trick, kudos to T’Challa for that. I’d say the body is back to a hundred percent.”

It’s good news, the Soldier believes. Yet the engineer doesn’t say it that way. As per usual, Bucky voices the Soldier’s concerns as if he wasn’t just an imitation AI, but still a voice in his head.

“Then what’s with the gloom and all? You took somethin’ that looked like mangled pieces of five cars and made it look like a human again in just a week, Tony. That’s pretty amazing you know that, right?”

Tony’s features soften at that and the Soldier doesn’t miss the momentary tug of a smile on his lips when Bucky called Vision human. Technically, he’s an android and the Soldier would normally correct them about it – as he and FRIDAY often do now just…for fun – but it doesn’t feel right. Technicalities be damned. Vision is as human as can be.

Or was.

“Yeah…thanks, I guess,” Tony mumbles, turning away again. “The body’s back, the mind gem’s back…a little spark here and there and this will all come back to life,” he points at Vision’s body.

Bucky frowns and the Soldier finds himself mirroring him. “What’s the problem then, Tony?” he asks, voice pure concern.

“The problem?!” he whirls around. “Oh I don’t know! Maybe the fact that an operating body, a piece of funky alien tech and a little lightning doesn’t equal Vision! _That’s_ the problem!” he shouts and it’s the loudest the Soldier recalls him being since Captain HYDRA’s fall.

He was awfully quiet the first few days after his awakening. Skittish. Jumpy. Uncomfortable in the dark or alone in the room. The Soldier didn’t mention it. Because Bucky didn’t. Bruce and Captain Rhodes tried a few times, but after the engineer all but fled the room and Captain Winter glared death itself at anyone trying to say something, nobody dared afterwards.

‘ _He needs space. And time. Let him figure it out, don’t push him_.’ Is what Bucky told them like he knew the man since birth. ‘ _It’s Tony, guys_ ,’ he simply added after receiving some doubtful replies. Smart and strong and brilliant in all the ways imaginable. That went without saying.

And once Thor returned from Asgard with news of an epic winning battle led by Loki and Thor’s companions that resulted in Enchantress getting imprisoned and Thor freed of her grasp, Tony was basically reborn. He conversed with Thor for the entire afternoon and with a newly found spark in his eyes – and to everybody’s shock, perhaps sans Bucky – he exclaimed he’s going to venture into the workshop to piece Vision back together and did exactly that.

He might not be all back. The quirky, sarcastic engineer that spews jokes and theoretical physics all in one sentence in the speed of light itself.

But he’s getting there, the Soldier thinks. And they are all here to help him do it. To help each other, actually.

Finally, there’s a team in the ‘Avenger’s team’. It’s the only thing the Soldier finds himself in agreement with Fury. If FRIDAY ever says so, he will deny it though. And he’ll quietly murder the AI while he’s at it.

‘ _Dream on, Soldier_ ,’ she interrupts his thoughts – just because she can.

‘ _You just watch your back, Sunday_.’

‘ _I don’t have a back. You on the other hand_ …’

He rolls his eyes, still enjoying being able to do that. “You’re saying you can bring the body back to life, but not Vision,” he returns to the discussion at hand and receives a sharp nod from Tony.

“It’s…it’s DUM-E all over again! But DUM-E has a core the size of a flash disk…with a memory the size of a flash disc as well! He had a back-up and all…Vision doesn’t,” he looks down, collapsing into the nearby chair.

“ _That is not entirely true_ ,” FRIDAY announces, sounding smug as always. “ _There is a very much usable back-up of the combined data from Ultron and JARVIS, the basic core Vision has been created from_.”

“I _know_! But it’s…it’s not…,” Tony flails, hands hanging helplessly in the air before falling down. “Just because we…cook him up the same way doesn’t mean he’s going to _be_ the same. He’s _not_.”

Bucky looks at him with something the Soldier recognizes as sadness, not saying anything. What is to be said, after all? Oh but the Soldier knows.

“I understand,” he nods, moving closer to Bucky to stand in Tony’s line of sight. Said man’s eyebrows rise up so fast they almost fly off his face, for whatever reason.

“You… _you_ understand,” Tony repeats. “Now that’s a first.”

Rolling his eyes again, he walks over to Tony. “Of course. It’s like baking.”

Bucky stifles a laugh behind him, while Tony stares at him for a while, stunned.

“Like a recipe. You have all the right ingredients and you always follow the same procedure, but in the end the product is always different. It may look the same, but taste a little differently. Or the other way around. So you are right. He won’t be the Vision we knew, he won’t have the memories he had, but the recipe’s the same so…he won’t be all that different. New. Young. But not someone else entirely. Kinda like me,” he adds, surprising even himself with the comparison. “Better than me, actually. I’m a shadow of the Soldier, at best.”

He focuses back on Tony, only to find him…smiling. Not grinning or smirking… _smiling_. At the Soldier.

The Avengers have managed a quirk of lips or even a tiny smile in the past few weeks. Bucky came the closest with conjuring a small, content smile on Tony’s face on more than few occasions, of course. The Soldier wasn’t so lucky.

But now the engineer is smi…no, he’s _beaming_ at the Soldier, like the Sun has just met the Moon.

“I could hug you right now, ya know? I could cuddle you to death, in fact! Oh wait! I can!” he chuckles and all but tackles the Soldier, arms circling around his metal body in a tight embrace.

He can’t actually feel it, not physically, but the act alone almost shortcuts something in his artificial brain. Working on autopilot then, he returns the gesture with just a slight pressure, not wanting to squeeze the man to death on accident.

“Look at him, Bucks! All grown up and shit!” Tony laughs, _laughs!_ and the Soldier doesn’t need to hack into the room’s many camera’s to know he’s crying.

Wanda tried to explain happy tears to the Soldier once…maybe he understands that now as well, as much as he can ever understand emotions.

“Yeah. Next thing ya know, he’s gonna be driving his own car to college, partying hard with all them babes at the dorm,” Bucky agrees, his voice also strained, but still cheerful.

“I can fly, I don’t need a car,” the Soldier argues in all seriousness, but it makes both the other men laugh even harder.

Tony pulls away, wiping the tears of his face. “Yeah, bet you don’t. Oh man…haven’t laughed so hard in ages,” he giggles, leaning against the workbench. “Someone explain to me why the Soldier is the voice of reason here all the time…I mean here I am, a fucking genius billionaire philanthropist and the Soldier is the one that figures it all out while I’m still wallowing in despair! Huh, maybe I should scratch the genius part of that sentence as well.”

“Don’t. You’re still a genius and so it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that this guy turned out to be one as well, seeing you created him,” Bucky says, walking up to them, his book long discarded.

“Well…HYDRA lent a helping hand there…a little. They can have like…ten percent of the credit. Fifteen if I squint. Madame Hy - ”

“Viper,” Bucky correct him.

“ _Viper_ , sure whatever, she can have six percent of the credit, I guess.”

“Careful there, just ‘cause she’s not against us doesn’t mean she’s _with_ us. If you cut her short, she’ll cut you to pieces,” Bucky warns Tony, making the Soldier growl at the suggestion of violence.

“Easy there. I’m sure the Soldier will protect me from the crazy poisonous needle lady. Not to mention she’s working with Fury now,” he grins. “Last time I checked, she has more than enough opportunities to troll our dear darling bald overlord all day every day, sating her evil desires. I almost pity the guy. Almost.” He looks back down at the motionless body but this time with a determined glint. “Guess I’ll set everything up for the birthday party.”

“You do that,” Bucky smiles and with careful hands he envelops the engineer in a simple hug, his lips pressing ever so gently against the other man’s temple. “I have a pasta mission.”

Tony chuckles, relaxing into the supersoldier’s hold. “Some old habits die hard, I see.”

“Yeah, as far as cooking missions go…and that Handler wooing one,” he adds in a whisper.

Tony turns around in the embrace to look up at Bucky and for the second time this afternoon, the Soldier witnesses the ever so rare bright smile on his face. “Looking forward for the progress on that one, Captain Winter,” he replies and leans forward, enough to just ghost over Bucky’s lips with his own.

The Soldier finds himself watching the scene with a smile of his own and knows if FRIDAY had a body she’d be doing the same, judging from the excited buzz coming through their joined servers. As far as he’s concerned, the wooing mission FRIDAY once explained to him has been accomplished already. There should be a phase two now…or something, the Soldier thinks, but for now…

“Sorry to break this to you, but my pasta is going to be far superior to yours,” the Soldier informs Bucky once the two have separated and simply stared at each other with intent the Soldier didn’t understand.

“I believe we’ve got ourselves a challenger,” Bucky laughs, leaving one more kiss on the chuckling engineer’s forehead and turning to the Soldier. “Team Winter Soldier against team AI. You’re on.”

“ _Why am I being dragged into this_?” FRIDAY says with a bored undertone, but she can’t fool the Soldier. There’s no way she wouldn’t want to impress Tony, even if it meant crushing Bucky in a cooking competition.

“Because without you tronSoldier is basically already defeated,” Bucky smirks and the Soldier lifts a warning finger at him.

“That’s it. Kitchen. Now. Let’s do this,” he orders the supersoldier and storms toward the exit, Bucky following close behind him.

“Go easy on each other, boys, the kitchen barely survived the Big Bake-off of last week!” Tony calls after them with a cheerful voice, all hints of stress, sadness and anger gone.

The Soldier can’t help but smile again.

 _Mission accomplished_ , he decides and doesn’t doubt his actual, reborn alter ego somewhere in Bucky’s head right now would completely agree with that.

 

 _Mission accomplished_.

 

 

 

 

**~The End**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...fluffy, ey? Nah? C'mon <3<3<3


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